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ST.    JOHN'S     CHURCH,     ELIZABETH,     NEW     JERSEY. 


^t  ^pis0pl  €\nm\i  m  i\n  ^wmitm  €akm. 


THE    HISTORY 


ST.  JOHN'S    CHUECH, 


ELIZABETH  TOWN,  NEW  JERSEY, 


FROM  THE  YEAR  1703  TO  THE  PRESENT  TIME. 

COMPILED   FROM 

ORIGINAL   DOCUMENTS,  THE   MANUSCRIPT   RECORDS    AND    LETTERS    OF 

THE  MISSIONARIES  OF  THE  SOCIETY  FOR  PROPAGATING 

THE    GOSPEL    IN    FOREIGN   PARTS,    AND 

FROM  OTHER  SOURCES. 


BY  y^ 

V 

SAMUEL   A.    CLARK, 

RECTOR  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT     AND    CO 

NEW    YORK: 

THOMAS    N.     STANFORD. 

185t. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1857,  by 

J.  B.  LIPriNCOTT  AND  CO., 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania. 


J  UN    20  1997 


A 


^fOtOGICAL  SE^"^ 


#. 


A 


TO  THE 


TENERABLE  SENIOR  WARDEN 


SAINT     JOHN'S     PARISH, 


HONORABLE  WILLIAM  CHETWOOD, 


WHO   THROUGH   A   LONG  PERIOD   OF   YEARS 


HAS  PROVED  A 


FAITHFUL   SERVANT   OF  THE  CHURCH, 


®^is  il30himt 


MOST  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED. 


Seal  of  the  Corporation. 


NOTE. 


The  editor  of  this  little  work,  soon  after  becoming  the 
Rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  a  year  ago,  discovered  that  it 
was  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  since  the  first  church 
edifice  was  erected,  and  sought  information  in  reference  to 
its  early  history,  with  the  intention  of  preparing  a  tri-semi- 
centennial  discourse.  The  results  of  his  investigations  are 
here  embodied. 

Some  of  the  documents  referred  to  are  of  rare  interest. 
Larger  extracts  might  have  been  made  from  them,  but  it  was 
thought  inexpedient  to  insert  more  than  will  here  be  found. 
The  Lambeth  and  Fulham  manuscripts,  relating  to  New 
Jersey,  would  form  an  exceedingly  valuable  contribution  to 
our  ecclesiastical  history.  It  is  to  be  hoped  they  may  ere 
long  be  published. 

Parsonage  of  St.  John's  Church, 

Elizabeth,  New  Jersey,  April  \st,  1857. 


1* 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Formation  of  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel — Col.  Morris' 
memorial — Tour  of  Rer.  Messrs.  Talbot  and  Keith — Mr.  Brooke's 
arrival  in  Jersey,  1705 — Proposed  to  build  churches  at  Elizabeth 
Town  and  Amboy — Foundation  laid  of  St.  John's  Church — Neces- 
sity therefor — Services  held  in  Presbyterian  Church — General 
condition  of  the  Church — Exjienses  of  living — Imprisonment  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Moore — Mr.  Brooke's  and  Mr.  Moore's  departure  for 
England — Letter  from  Mr.  Talbot — Death  of  Messrs.  Brooke  and 
Moore — Mr.  B.'s  character — Letter  from  Monsieur  Neau,  justify- 
ing the  missionaries — Singular  facts  in  reference  to  Lord  Corn- 
bury — His  improper  conduct — How  Mr.  Moore  escaped  from  Fort 
Anne — Orders  to  arrest  Mr.  Brooke,  &c.       ....       13 


CHAPTER    II. 

1707 — Rectorship  of  St.  John's  vacant — Appointment  of  the  Rev. 
Edward  Vaughan — Letter  from  Mr.  Yaughan  from  Amboy — Desires 
to  change  his  position — Xo  provision  for  support  of  clergy — Estab- 
lishment of  packets  between  York  and  Bristol — Mr.  Halliday 
shares  Mr.  Yaughan's  labors — Converts  from  Quakerism  baptized 
— Congregations  at  Amboy  and  Piscataway — Services  in  Rahway 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

— Difficulties  in  reference  to  title  of  land  in  Elizabeth  Town — Ser- 
vices at  Woodbridge — Need  of  Bibles  and  tracts — Settlement  of 
controversy  in  reference  to  land — Marriage  of  Mr.  Vaughan — 
Residence  at  Amboy — Character  of  settlers  of  Newark,  Wood- 
bridge,  Elizabeth  Town,  &c.- ^Proposal  to  the  society  to  procure  a 
donation  of  land,  and  send  negroes  from  Barbadoes  to  clear  it, 
cultivate  it,  build  houses  and  churches — Large  auditory  in  Eliza- 
beth Town — Character  and  services  of  Mr.  Vaughan — Services  in 
Newark,  Whippany,  and  the  mountains — People  of  Amwell  and 
Hopewell  desire  a  missionary — Memorial  to  the  bishop  of  London 
from  Newark  and  the  province  of  New  Jersey — Visit  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Beach — Promises  to  accept  a  call — The  widow  Arskin's  legacy  of 
nine  acres  to  St.  John's  Church — Whitfield's  visit — Mr.  Vaughan 's 
death  ...........       33 


CHAPTER    III. 

1747 — Letter  from  Church  Wardens — Mr.  Chandler  invited  to  be- 
come Catechist — Agree  to  raise  £50  for  his  support,  and  to 
build  or  buy  a  house — Purchase  of  present  parsonage  and  glebe 
— Enlargement  of  the  house — Church  built  at  New  Brunswick — 
That  mission  united  with  Elizabeth  Town — Letter  from  Mr.  Chan 
dler — Services  at  Rahway,  at  Westfield,  &c. — Mr.  Wood  officiates 
at  Elizabeth  Town  and  New  Brunswick — Bell  procured  for  St. 
John's — Efforts  to  obtain  ordination  for  Mr.  Chandler — Need  of 
a  resident  minister — Leave  given  to  Mr.  Chandler  to  visit  Eng- 
land for  orders — Church  register  and  some  of  the  records  in  it — 
Mr.  Chandler's  ordination — nine  weeks'  jiassage  home — Preaches 
at  Woodbridge — Expects  to  be  invited  to  Whippany — Journey  of 
200  miles  into  New  England — Preaches  at  Woodstock — Needs 
better  provision  for  his  support — Interesting  facts  in  relation  to 
Elizabeth  Town — Erection  of  a  church  in  Woodbridge  contem- 
plated— Chime  of  bells — Library— Communion  plate  sent  by 
George  II.  for  St.  John's  taken  by  the  French    ...       57 


CONTENTS.  IX 


CHAPTER    I Y. 

1760 — Wallingford  Controversy — Prevalence  of  smallpox — Good 
feeling  between  Dissenters  and  Churchmen — Mr.  Hardy  appointed 
Governor — Money  raised  by  lottery  for  repairing  church  and  par- 
sonage at  Amboy — Proposal  to  annex  Woodbridge  to  that  Mission 
— Need  of  tracts — Mr.  Chandler's  views  adverse  to  preaching 
much  about  the  Church — Charter  granted  to  St.  John's  Church — 
Charter — Letter  from  Perth  Amboy  in  reference  to  the  progress 
of  the  church  in  Piscataway,  Mount  Holly  and  Trenton — Pros- 
pect of  a  Bishop  for  America — St.  John's  vestry  vote  to  enlarge 
the  church — Determined  to  rebuild — ^Foundation  laid — Progress 
of  the  work  arrested  by  the  Eevolution        ....       81 


CHAPTER   Y. 

1764 — Whitfield  revisits  Elizabeth  Town — Mr.  Chandler  refuses  him 
the  use  of  his  pulpit — Reasons  therefor — Desires  to  avoid  contro- 
versy in  the  pulpit — Diligence  and  popularity  of  the  Dissenting 
Clergyman  at  Elizabeth  Town — Zeal  of  his  x)eople — Some  account 
of  the  condition  of  St.  John's  Church — Addition  to  the  parsonage 
house — Allusions  to  Mr.  Whitfield  and  to  the  Clergy  of  Philadel- 
phia— Efforts  to  obtain  a  Bishop  for  the  American  Colonies — House 
purchased  for  an  Episcopal  Residence — Discontent  in  consequence 
of  acts  of  the  British  Parliament — Sensible  remarks  upon  their 
probable  effect — Dr.  Chandler  receives  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Ox- 
ford— Letter  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London — Refers  to  need  of  a 
Bishop— Anxiety  on  the  subject  .         .         .         .         .         .101 


CHAPTER   YI. 

1766 — Letter  from  the  clergy — Object  of  their  conventions — Mode 
of  conducting  them — Xames  of  Clergy  present  at  Shrewsbury — 


CONTENTS. 

Desires  for  an  American  Episcopate — Apology  for  a  former  ad- 
dress— Allusion  to  disturbances  in  the  Colonies — Disadvantages 
under  ■which  Episcopalians  laboured — Objections  to  appointment 
of  commissioners — Important  measures  projected — Convention 
meets  at  Elizabeth  Town  Nov.  1776 — "Plan  of  Union"  formed — 
Articles  adopted — Dr.  Chandler's  publication  of  appeal  to  the 
public — Extracts  from  Dr.  Hawks  on  American  Episcopate — Op- 
position to  the  appeal — Violent  attacks — American  Whig,  Sen- 
tinel, <fec. — Appeal  Defended — Appeal  Further  Defended — Re- 
markable circvimstances  connected  with  Church  at  Hebron,  Conn. 
— Dr.  Chandler's  letter  mpon  the  Controversy       .         .         .     117 


CHAPTER    YII, 

1768 — Convention  at  New  Brunswick — Plan  for  relief  of  widows 
and  orphans  of  clergymen — Condition  of  St.  John's  Church  in 
1769 — Dr.  Chandler's  missionary  labours — Visits  Sussex  County 
— Account  of  Mr.  Frazer's  mission — Character  of  the  settlers — 
Need  of  the  Gospel — Parish  formed — Dr.  Chandler's  letter  in 
reference  to  his  Appeal  &c. — Mr.  Whitfield  revisits  Elizabeth 
Town — Petition  to  Council  of  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey — Grant 
of  land — Anxiety  for  conversion  of  the  Indians — Plan  proposed 
to  the  Venerable  Society  in  relation  thereto — Missions  in  the 
Colonies — Importance  of  sustaining  them — Progress  of  the  me- 
morial in  behalf  of  the  Indians — Republicanism — Trenton  mis- 
sion— Resolution  to  build  a  new  church  at  Elizabeth  Town — 
Condition  of  the  missions  at  Burlington,  Shrewsbury,  New 
Brunswick  and  Newark 139 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

1775 — Dr.  Chandler  leaves  for  England — Revolutionary  war — De- 
plorable state  of  the  Parish  of  St.  John's — Church  a  Stable — 
Cemetery  desecrated — Organ  pipes  converted  into  bullets — Im- 


CONTENTS.  XI 

position  on  the  congregation — Letters  from  Rev.  Abraham  Beach 
— From  New  Brunswick — Services  at  E.  Town — Mr.  Ogden  sup- 
plies St.  John's — Dr.  Chandler's  return — Estimation  in  which  he 
was  held — Dr.  Murray's  account — Dr.  Chandler's  death,  in  1790 
— Church  repaired,  gallery  re-built — Mr.  Spraggs  called  to  the 
Rectorship — Collection  of  scattered  property  of  the  church — Cor- 
respondence with  Mr.  Ogden — Salary  of  Rector  increased — Mr. 
Rayner's  ministry — Sale  of  Kyte  lot — Mr.  Beasley's  election — 
New  vestry  room — Rev.  Samuel  Lilly's  ministry — Dr.  Rudd's 
rectorship — Mrs.  Spraggs'  legacy — Rev.  Smith  Pyne — Rev.  B.  G. 
Noble — Rev.  R.  C.  Moore — Enlargement  of  church — Zeal  of  the 
ladies  of  the  congregation — Grace  Church,  Elizabeth  Port,  its 
formation,  &c. — Christ  Church  organised,  buildings  erected,  &c. 
— Mr.  Moore's  resignation — Church  as  at  present        .         .     154 


APPENDIX, 

A. — Copy  of  the  deed  of  the  Parsonage  and  Lot  be- 
longing TO  St.  John's  Church,  Elizabeth  Town  .         .     185 

B. — Note  in  reference  to  Dr.  Chandler,  from  Bishop 
Hobart's  Memoir,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Berrian  .        .     190 

C. — Letter  from  Dr.  Chandler  to  the  Rev.  Abram  Beach     198 

D.— Epitaphs 201 


THE  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


IN  THE 


AMERICAN   COLONIES 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH. 
CHAPTER   I. 

Formation  of  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel — Col.  Morris' 
memorial — Tour  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Talbot  and  Keith — Mr.  Brooke's 
arrival  in  Jersey,  1705 — Proposed  to  build  churches  at  Elizabeth 
Town  and  Amboy — Foundation  laid  of  St.  John's  Church — Neces- 
sity therefor — Services  held  in  Presbyterian  Church — General 
condition  of  the  Church — Expenses  of  living — Imprisonment  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Moore — Mr.  Brooke's  and  Mr.  Moore's  departure  for 
England — Letter  from  Mr.  Talbot — Death  of  Messrs.  Brooke  and 
Moore — Mr.  B.'s  character — Letter  from  Monsieur  Neau,  justify- 
ing the  missionaries — Singular  facts  in  reference  to  Lord  Corn- 
bury — His  improper  conduct — How  Mr.  Moore  escaped  from  Fort 
Anne — Orders  to  arrest  Mr.  Brooke,  &c. 

In  the  year  1661,  King  Charles  the  Second  incorpo- 
rated a  company  for  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel 
amongst  the  heathen  natives  of  Neio  England^  and  the 
parts  adjacent  in  America. 

For  many  years,  the  work  of  colonial  missions  was 
carried  on  by  means  of  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  a  few 
2 


14  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

public  and  private  persons  in  England,  and  upon  the 
continent  of  Europe.  Archbishop  Tenison  was  ex- 
ceedingly interested  in  the  religious  wants  of  the  plan- 
tations, and  exerted  himself  in  their  behalf.  He  so 
represented  their  condition  to  King  William  the  Third, 
that,  on  the  16th  of  June,  HOI,  the  "  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts"  was  in- 
corporated by  royal  charter.  To  this  venerable  Society 
the  Episcopal  Church  in  America  owes  a  debt,  which 
she  can  never  repay  but  by  activity  and  liberality  in 
the  work  of  missions.  Under  the  fostering  care  of  this 
Institution,  the  early  Colonial  Church  took  deep  root  in 
this  land,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  many  blessings 
which  we  are  now  enjoying. 

In  the  year  1700,  Col.  Morris  wrote  a  memorial  con- 
cerning the  state  of  religion  in  the  Jerseys.  *'  The 
Province  of  East  Jersey  has  in  it  Ten  Towns,  vizt : 
Middletown,  Freehold,  Amboy,  Piscataway,  and  Wood- 
bridge,  Elizabeth  Town,  Newark,  Aquechenonch,  and 
Bergen,  and  I  judge,  in  the  whole  Province,  there  may 
be  about  Eight  thousand  souls.  These  Towns  are  not 
like  the  towns  in  England — the  houses  built  close  to- 
gether on  a  small  spot  of  ground — but  they  include 
large  portions  of  the  Country,  of  four,  five,  eight,  ten, 
twelve,  fifteen  miles  in  length,  and  as  much  in  breadth. 
*  *  *  *  These  towns  and  the  whole  Province, 
were  peopled  mostly  from  the  adjacent  colonies  of  New 
York  and  New  England,  and  generally  by  persons  of 
very  narrow  fortunes,  and  such  as  could  not  well  sub- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  15 

sist  in  the  places  they  left.  And  if  such  people  could 
bring  any  religion  with  them,  it  was  that  of  the  Coun- 
try they  came  from,  and  the  State  of  them  is  as  fol- 
lows : —     *     *     H< 

"Elizabeth  Town  and  Newark  were  peopled  from 
New  England;  are  generally  Independants;  they  have 
a  meeting-house  in  each  town  for  their  public  worship. 
There  are  some  few  Churchmen,  Presbiterians,  Ana- 
baptists, and  Quakers,  settled  among  them."     *     * 

The  memorial  closes  with  this  suggestion  :  "Let  the 
King,  the  Archbishop,  ye  Bishops  and  great  men,  admit 
no  man  for  so  many  years  to  any  great  Benefice,  but 
such  as  shall  oblige  themselves  to  preach  three  years 
gratis  in  America,  with  part  of  the  living  let  him  main- 
tain a  Curate,  and  the  other  part  let  him  apply  to  his 
own  use.  By  this  means,  we  shall  have  the  greatest 
and  best  men,  and,  in  human  probability,  such  men 
must  in  a  short  time  make  a  wonderful  progress  in  the 
Conversion  of  those  Countries,  especially  when  it  is  per- 
ceived the  good  of  Souls  is  the  only  Motive  to  this 
undertaking." 

In  n02-3,  the  Rev.  George  Keith  and  the  Rev. 
John  Talbot  made  a  missionary  tour  here,  and  the  for- 
mer published,  in  HOG,  A  Journal  of  Travels  from 
New  Hampshire  to  (laratnck  on  the  Continent  of  North 
America.  Under  date  of  November  3,  1703,  he  says  : 
"I  preached  at  Andrew  Craig's,  in  the  township  of 
Elizabeth  Town,  on  2  Pet.  i.  5,  and  baptized  his  four 
children."     His  journal  also  contains  this  entry  : — 


1 6  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES, 

^^  December  19,  Sunday. — I  preached  at  the  house  of 
Col.  Towuley,  in  Elizabeth  Town,  both  forenoon  and 
afternoon,  on  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  Many  of  that  town  having 
been  formerly  a  sort  of  Independents,  are  become  well 
affected  to  the  Church  of  England,  and  desire  to  have 
a  minister  of  the  Church  of  England  sent  to  them. 
There  I  baptized  a  child  of  Mr.  Shakmaple." 

It  is  presumed  that  these  were  the  first  Episcopal 
services  that  were  held  here.  At  this  time,  Elizabeth 
Town  was  the  largest  place  in  the  Province  of  East 
Jersey,  containing  about  three  hundred  families. 

The  Rev.  John  Brooke,  who  w^as  sent  here  by  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts,  in  a  letter  to  the  Secretary,  dated  Elizabeth 
Town,  Aug.  20,  It 05,  writes  thus  : — 

"  Worthy  Sir — 

This  comes  to  acquaint  you  and  the  rest  of  the 
Rt.  Rev.  and  Honorable  Society,  erected  for  the  Pro- 
pagation of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  that  I  arrived 
safe  in  East  New  Jersey  July  15,  and  thence  went  to 
my  Lord  Cornbury — our  Governor — who,  after  he  had 
perused  your  letter,  advised  me  to  settle  at  Elizabeth 
Town  and  Perth  Amboy.  Shrewsbury,  Freehold,  and 
Middletown,  are  already  supplied  by  Dr.  Innes,  a 
very  goode  Man,  &c."  *  *  ''There  are  five  Inde- 
pendant  Ministers  in  and  about  the  places  I  preach  at, 
and  the  greatest  part  of  the  people  are  followers  of 
them.      But  I  question  not  (thro  :    God's  blessing), 


HISTORY  or  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  lY 

but  if  yoa  please  to  permit  me  to  have  only  Elizabeth 
Town,  Amboy,  and  the  adjacent  Towns  under  my  care 
and  to  allow  me  enough  to  subsist  upon  without  de- 
pending upon  the  People,  that  I  shall  gain  a  consider- 
able Congregation  in  a  very  few  years.  As  for  those 
that  are  of  the  Church  of  England  already,  their  Num- 
ber is  very  inconsiderable,  and  I  expect  nothing  from 
them  for  some  years,  seeing  they  are  like  to  be  at  an 
extraordinary  charge  in  building  of  a  Church  at  each 
place." 

The  success  which  attended  Mr.  Brooke's  labors,  is 
shown  by  the  following  letter  to  the  Secretary  : — 

Elizabeth  Town,  Nov.  23,1705. 
Honored  Sir — 

Last  August,  I  sent  you  a  letter  per  Mr.  Dimstar, 
wherein  I  gave  you  an  account  of  my  safe  arrival  at 
New  Jersey,  and  the  state  of  my  parishes,  and  the 
books  that  are  here  wanted,  aud  my  very  Reverend 
and  worthy  brother,  Mr.  Talbot,  will  give  you  a  full 
account  how  successful  I  have  been  in  my  Ministry 
hitherto,  and  what  books  I  have  greatest  occasion  for. 
We  design  (God  willing),  next  spring,  to  begin  to 
build  two  churches — one  at  Elizabeth  Town,  the  other 
at  Amboy.  I  must  expect  no  subscriptions  before  they 
be  finished.  I  have  gathered  a  large  congregation  at 
Piscataway,  about  twenty  miles  from  Elizabeth  Town ; 
an  Independent  minister  has  left  them  since  I  came, 
and  now  they  are  very  desirous  that  the  Rt.  Rev.  and 

2* 


18  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Honorable  Society  would  be  pleased  to  send  one  of  the 
Church  of  England  who  is  not  a  Scotchman.  If  a 
missionary  of  temper  was  sent  hither,  he  might  do 
more  service  than  in  any  other  place  I  know.  One  of 
the  Council,  who  was  an  Anabaptist  when  I  came,  will 
give  a  minister  his  board  (if  qualified  as  before),  and 
keep  him  a  horse.  I  need  not  enlarge,  being  Mr. 
Talbot  has  obliged  himself  to  give  you  a  full  Account 
of  all  my  proceedings.  What  I  have  further  to  desire 
.is,  that  you  and  the  rest  of  the  Society  would  be  pleased 
to  pray  for  me,  and  to  direct  me  how  I  may  best  pro- 
mote the  interest  of  Religion  and  the  good  of  Souls, 
which  shall  ever  be  the  hearty  endeavor  of,  good  sir. 

Your  obliged  servant, 

JOHN  BROOKE. 

Mr.  Brooke  writes,  under  date  of  11th  of  October, 
1706,  to  the  Secretary  (the  following  are  only  extracts 
from  the  letter)  : — 

''  The  people,  in  general,  in  all  the  places  where  I 
officiate,  were  either  Dissenters  or  of  no  religion  at  all, 
when  I  came  ;  but  now  (through  the  blessing  of  God) 
you'll  find,  by  the  letter  sent  by  Mr.  Evans,  that  many 
are  come  into  the  Fold.  There  are  about  ten  communi- 
cants added  since  I  wrote  last.  I  laid  the  Foundation 
of  a  Brick  church,  at  Elizabeth  Town,  on  St.  John  the 
Baptist's  day,  whose  name  it  bears.  It  is  fifty  foot 
long,  thirty  wide,  and  twenty-one  high, — it  hath  nine 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  19 

windows — one  in  the  East  End,  ten  foot  wide  and  fifteen 
high,  two  in  each  side,  six  foot  wide  and  ten  high,  and 
four  ovals — one  of  the  East  window,  one  in  the  West 
end,  and  one  over  each  door,  which  are  near  the  west 
end.  The  church  is  now  covering,  and  I  hope  to  preach 
in  it  in  six  weeks  or  two  months.  Col.  Townley's  house 
(wherein  I  preacht  at  first),  in  half  a  year's  time,  grew 
too  little  for  my  congregation,  and  the  best  place  we 
could  get  to  meet  in  was  a  barn,  which,  in  Harvest,  we 
were  obliged  to  relinquish,  whereupon  the  Dissenters, 
who,  presently  after  I  came,  were  destitute  of  their  old 
Teachers  (one  of  them  being  struck  with  death,  in  their 
meeting-house,  as  he  was  railing  against  the  Church,  and 
the  other  being  at  Boston),  would  not  suffer  me  upon 
my  request  to  officiate  in  their  meeting-house  unless  I 
would  promise  not  to  read  any  of  the  prayers  of  the 
Church,  which  I  complied  with  upon  condition  I  might 
read  the  Psalms,  Lessons, Epistle,  and  Gospel,  appointed 
for  the  day,  which  I  did  and  said  all  the  rest  of  the 
service  by  heart,  the  doing  of  which  brought  a  great 
many  to  hear  me  who  otherwise,  probably,  would  never 
have  heard  the  service  of  the  Church,  and  (through 
God's  blessing)  hath  taken  away  their  prejudice  to  such 
a  degree  as  that  they  have  invited  me  to  preach  in  their 
meeting-house  till  our  church  be  built.  Their  Teacher 
begins  at  eight  in  the  morning,  and  ends  at  ten,  and 
then  our  service  begins  and  in  the  afternoon  we  begin 
at  two.  The  greatest  part  of  the  Dissenters  generally 
stay  to  hear  all  our  service.     Wee  shall  only  gett  the 


20  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

outside  of  our  church  up  this  year,  and  I'me  afraid  t'will 
be  a  year  or  two  more  before  we  can  finish  the  in- 
side, for  I  find  these  hard  times  a  great  many  are 
very  backward  to  pay  their  subscriptions.  At  Amboy, 
we've  got  a  great  many  of  the  materialls  ready  to  build 
a  stone  church  with,  fifty-four  foot  long  and  thirty  wide, 
next  spring."     *     *     * 

"  I  need  not  tell  you  how  often  I  preach,  catechize, 
and  expound,  or  administer  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  at  each  of  my  Places,  seeing  I  continue  to  do 
as  I  did  when  I  writ  last. 

"  The  Books  you  acquaint  me  that  you  are  allowed 
by  your  good  Society  to  be  added  to  my  library,  will 
be  acceptable  when  they  come  to  hand, — when  I  re- 
ceive them,  I  will  send  you  an  account  of  all  that  I 
have  had  from  you  (which  Mr.  Hodges  has  already), 
and  hereby  I  oblige  myself  to  leave  them  all  to  my 
successor,  but  those  I'm  to  give  away.    *     *     *     * 

"Upon  my  arrival  here,  instead  of  churches,  which 
I  expected,  I  mett  only  with  private  rooms  except  at 
Amboy,  where  there's  an  old,  little  court-house  that 
serves  for  one.  Insted  of  a  body  of  church  people  to 
maintain  me,  I  only  met  with  a  small  handfull,  the  most 
of  which  could  hardly  maintain  themselves,  much  less 
build  churches  or  maintain  me.  Upon  which,  being 
allmost  discouraged  to  find  the  Church  had  got  so  little 
footing  in  these  parts,  I  resolved  heartily  and  sincerely 
to  endeavor  to  promote  her,  so  much  as  in  ray  power, 
in  order  to  which  I  began  to  preach,  catechize,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  21 

expound,  twelve,  fourteen,  sometimes  fifteen  days  per 
month  (which  I  still  do),  and  on  other  days  to  visit 
the  people,  through  which  means,  by  the  blessing  of 
God,  my  congregations  increased  everywhere  so  that  I 
found  very  great  necessity  for  churches.  I  used  all  the 
arguments  I  could  think  of  to  persuade  my  people  to 
contribute  according  to  their  ability  to  so  noble  a 
work  and  though  I  could  not  well  afford  it  myself, 
for  their  encouragement,  and  to  promote  the  Glory  of 
God,  1  drew  a  bill  of  £50  upon  my  sister,  who  receives 
my  money  of  Mr.  Hodges,  which  I've  distributed 
amongst  these  poor  churches  ;  £10  I've  given  to  Eliza- 
beth Town,  £10  to  Piscataway,  £10  to  Amboy,  £5  to 
the  church  that  is  to  be  at  Freehold,  and  £2  to  that  at 
Cheesequakes  ;  £3  towards  printing  Dr.  Ashton's  piece 
against  the  Anabaptists,  and  for  catechisms  to  give 
away ;  and  it  hath  cost  me  above  £10  in  riding  about 
the  Provinces  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  and 
this  to  get  subscriptions.  I  should  never  have  men- 
tioned this,  had  not  my  circumstances  obliged  me  to  it. 
I  could  not  have  given  near  so  much  out  of  your  £100 
per  annum,  had  not  I  been  very  well  stocked  with 
cl oaths  I  brought  from  England,  and  had  had  some 
money  of  my  own.  For  I  ride  so  much,  I'm  obliged 
to  keep  two  horses,  which  cost  me  £20,  and  one  horse 
cannot  be  kept  well  under  £10  or  £11  per  annum. 
'Twill  cost  a  man  near  £30  per  annum  to  board  here, 
and  sure  'twill  cost  me  much  more  who.  Pilgrim-like, 
can  scarce  ever  be  three  days  together  at  a  place.     All 


22  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

cloathing  here  is  twice  as  clear,  at  least,  as  'tis  in  Eng- 
land, and  riding  so  much  makes  me  wear  ont  many 
more  than  I  ever  did  before.  The  Ferries  which  I've 
frequently  to  cross,  and  everything  else  I've  occasion 
for  here,  are  very  chargeable,  and  I've  nothing  to  de- 
fray all  my  charges  but  what  I  receive  from  your  So- 
ciety ;  neither  can  I  expect  anything  from  my  people 
before  their  churches  be  finished,  so  that  I  hope  you'll 
allow  me  what  was  plainly  promised  (I  think)  at  St. 
Martin's  Library ;  if  not,  I  shall  be  much  more  capa- 
ble, I  believe,  of  promoting  the  glory  of  God  in  Eng- 
land than  here,  with  a  narrow,  precarious  allowance, 
where  to  ask  anything  yet,  would  be  a  means  to  deter 
people  from  joyning  with  me,  and  would  be  looked 
upon  as  offensive.  I  humbly  hope  you'll  pardon  me  if 
I've  spoke  anything  amiss.  The  straits  I'm  brought 
into  through  the  disappointment  of  the  Society,  oblige 
me  write  may  be  what  does  not  become  me. 

"  My  Parishioners  of  Amboy  have  desired  my  Lord  of 
London  to  address  Her  Majesty  in  their  behalf,  and  de- 
sire her  to  allow  something  for  the  maintenance  of  a  mi- 
nister there  (which  is  one  of  her  posts),  as  she's  done  for 
Boston  and  Philadelphia,  which  will  be  an  ease  to  the 
Society,  if  she  be  pleased  to  grant  their  request,  and  a 
great  benefit  to  the  poor  people.  I've  so  many  places 
to  take  care  of,  that  I've  scarce  any  time  to  study ; 
neither  can  I  supply  any  of  them  so  well  as  they  should 
be.  I  humbly  beg,  therefore,  you'll  be  pleased  to  send 
a  minister  to  take  the  charge  of  Elizabeth  Town  and 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  23 

Rawway  upon  him,  and  I'll  take  all  the  care  I  can  of 
the  rest. 

"  Pray,  sir,  be  pleased  to  communicate  the  contents 
of  this  letter  to  the  rest  of  your  most  Reverend  and 
Right  Honorable  Society,  and  let  me  hear  their  resolu- 
tion as  soon  as  you  can,  which  will  oblige  Your  most 
humble,  Distressed  servant, 

JOHN  BROOKE." 

In  the  year  IT 01,  it  appears  that  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Moore  was  involved  in  difficulty  by  Lord  Cornbury,  the 
Governor,  and  was  imprisoned  by  him  in  Fort  Anne. 
Mr.  Moore's  letters  show  that  the  missionaries  received 
unkind  treatment  at  His  Excellency's  hands,  and  that 
such  was  the  effect  of  this,  that  Mr.  Moore  and  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Brooke  made  up  their  minds  to  return  to 
England.  The  offence  of  the  latter  seems  to  have 
been  that  he  sustained  Mr.  Moore,  and  deeply  sympa- 
thized with  him  in  his  troubles.  Lord  Cornbury  gives, 
in  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Society,  an  account 
of  Mr.  M.'s  escape  from  confinement  by  the  aid  of  Mr. 
Brooke,  and  complains  of  their  want  of  submission  to 
his  authority,  claiming  as  they  did  that  they  were  re- 
sponsible only  to  the  Bishop  of  London.  And  this 
seems  to  constitute  the  burden  of  Lord  Cornbury's 
charge.  A  letter  from  Monsieur  Neau,  which  w^e  shall 
soon  give,  will  explain  this  whole  matter. 

Mr.  Moore,  in  a  letter  to  the  Secretary,  dated  August, 
ITOt,  speaking  of  having  intrusted   a  letter  to  Mr. 


24  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Brooke,  says  :  ''He  is  going  towards  Boston,  in  order 
for  England,  if  he  be  not  confined  before  he  leaves  this 
place,  which  I  am  something  fearful  of,  and  am  w^ell 
satisfied  he  would  be  if  His  Excellency,  my  Lord  Corn- 
bury,  knew  of  his  design  of  going  home.  Mr.  Brooke's 
general  concern  for  the  honor  and  welfare  of  the  Church, 
with  some  apprehensions  he  has  of  being  confined  him- 
self (for  he  has  much  the  same  share  of  his  Lordship's 
favor  with  myself,  and  for  much  the  same  reason),  puts 
him  upon  undertaking  a  winter's  voyage  to  England, 
which,  I  am  well  satisfied,  no  worldly  consideration 
would  tempt  him  to,  even  at  any  season  of  the  year ; 
for  he  has  (as  he  has  abundantly  shown)  an  uncommon 
concern  for  the  good  of  his  flock,  which  nothing,  I  am 
well  assured,  but  the  prospect  of  doing  more  good, 
does  now,  or  will,  make  him  ever  hereafter  leave." 

Mr.  Moore,  having  escaped  from  Fort  Anne,  started 
for  England  with  Mr.  Brooke ;  and  the  Rev.  John 
Talbot,  in  a  letter  to  the  Secretary,  dated  Philadelphia, 
20th  of  August,  lt08,  says  :— 

"  Honorable  Sm — 

I  have  written  several  letters  to  you  from  Boston 
and  New  York,  by  Brothers  Brooke  and  Moore,  but  I 
am  afraid  they  are  all  lost  together ;  they  have  been 
nine  months  gone,  and  we  saw  them  not  since,  nor  any 
news  of  them.  I  met  them  at  Boston,  and  would  per- 
suade them  to  return,  but  all  in  vain ;  they  had  been 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  25 

SO  dragooned,  that  they  had  rather  be  taken  into  France 
than  into  the  Fort  at  New  York.  I  have  carried  on 
ever  since  at  Burlington,  as  well  as  I  could,  and,  I 
thank  God,  with  success  wherever  I  am  ;  but  I  cannot 
stay  long  at  any  place,  because  there  are  so  many  that 
want.  Certainly,  the  present  state  of  that  Province  is 
worse  than  the  first.  We  have  lost  our  labour,  and  the 
Society  their  cost,  there  being  several  churches  and  no 
ministers  in  all  East  Jersey  to  supply  them,  so  that 
they  fall  away  apace  to  Heathenism,  Quakerism,  and 
Atheism,  purely  for  lack  of  looking  after.  Mr.  Brooke 
and  Mr.  Moore  are  much  lamented,  being  the  most 
pious  and  industrious  Missioners  that  ever  the  Honor- 
able Society  sent  over.  Let  the  adversaries  say  what 
they  will,  they  can  prove  no  evil  thing  against  these 
men.  I  have  heard  all  sides  and  parties — what  can  be 
said  pro  or  co?^."     *     * 

Extract  from  a  letter  from  Mr.  Talbot  to  the  Secre- 
tary, dated  Burlington,  24th  of  August,  1*108  : — 

"  It  is  now  nine  months  ago  since  I  parted  with  Mr. 
Brooke  and  Mr.  Moore  at  Boston.  I  sent  letters  by 
them,  but  we  are  much  afraid  all  are  miscarried.  I 
was  always  glad  to  see  them,  but  much  surprised  to 
meet  them  there.  They  told  me  what  hardship  they 
met  with  from  the  Governors  of  New  York  and  Jersey, 
and  how  they  escaped  out  of  their  hands.  I  was  for 
converting  them  back  again,  telling  them  the  dangers  of 


26  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES, 

the  Sea  and  the  Enemy,  but  poor  Thorowgood  [Moore] 
said  he  had  rather  be  taken  into  France  than  into  the 
Fort  at  New  York  ;  and  if  they  were  sunk  in  the  Sea, 
they  did  not  doubt  but  God  would  receive  them,  since 
they  were  persecuted  for  righteousness — that  is,  for 
Christ's  sake  and  His  Gospel  and  doing  their  duty  to 
the  best  of  their  knowledge."  Farther  on  in  this  letter, 
he  says :  "  I  preached  till  the  Winter  broke  up, 
\^hen  I  got  to  Amboy  and  Elizabeth  Town,  where  had 
been  nobody  since  Mr.  Brooke  left  them,  who  was  an 
able  and  diligent  Missioner  as  ever  came  over." 

Jeremiah  Bass,  Esq.,  Her  Majesty's  Secretary  of  the 
Province  of  Jersey,  in  a  history  of  the  Church  at  Bur- 
lington, thus  mentions  Mr.  Moore  and  Mr.  Brooke : — 

"  Our  Church  for  some  time  found  no  considerable 
alterations  by  the  absence  of  our  worthy  Bector  [Mr. 
Moore],  but  that  enemy  of  our  happiness,  who  had 
been  many  times  heretofore  sowing  the  seeds  of  Division 
and  Dissension  amongst  us  (which,  through  the  care 
and  prudence  of  our  Rector,  were  not  suffered  to  grow 
and  increase),  took  advantage  of  his  absence,  and  stir- 
red up  such  a  flame  that  had  almost  broken  us  to  pieces, 
and  occasioned  the  unhappy  removal  of  Mr.  Moore  and 
the  Bev.  Mr.  Brooke,  Bector  of  the  church  in  Eliza- 
beth Town  (erected  chiefly  by  the  care  and  diligence  of 
Colonel  Bichard  Townley,  who  has  given  the  ground  it 
stands  on,  and  a  place  for  a  burying-ground),  who  have 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN's  CIIUPtCIT.  27 

not  been  heard  of  since  their  departure  from  Marble- 
head,  in  the  year  170T." 

From  all  that  can  be  gathered,  it  is  plain  that  Mr. 
Brooke  was  an  earnest,  zealous,  self-sacrificing  mission- 
ary, and  that  he  possessed,  in  an  eminent  degree,  the 
faculty  of  arousing  the  people  to  a  sense  of  their  duty. 
Under  God,  to  him  does  St.  John's  Church  owe  its 
early  prosperous  existence  ;  and  the  foundations  which 
he  laid  were  so  well  cemented,  and  so  strong,  that  they 
have  never  been  removed  or  shaken.  The  influence  of 
his  piety  and  devotion  is  still  alive  and  felt  here,  and 
the  character  which  he  gave  to  his  church,  it  has  never 
lost.  The  monuments  which  his  labor  has  erected  are 
enduring.  The  two  years  which  he  spent  in  Jersey, 
were  fruitful  to  the  church,  and  show  what  one  right- 
minded  and  faithful  man  can  do  for  his  Master's  cause. 
Humphrey,  in  his  History  of  the  Propagation  Society, 
makes  this  honorable  mention  of  him  :  ''Mr.  Brooke 
used  exceeding  diligence  in  his  cure,  and  was  pleased 
to  find  the  best  of  all  sorts  of  people  coming  over  to 
the  Church  of  England.  He  exerted  himself,  and  at 
times  used  to  perform  Divine  service  at  seven  places, 
fifty  miles  in  extent,  namely  :  at  Elizabeth  Town,  Rah- 
way,  Perth  Amboy,  Cheesequakes,  Piscataway,  Rock 
Hill,  and  in  a  congregation  at  Page's.  This  duty  was 
very  difficult  and  laborious.  Besides  preaching,  he 
used  to  catechize  and  expound  fourteen  times  in  a 
month  ;  this  obliged  him  to  be  on  horseback  almost 


28  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

every  day,  which  was  expensive  as  well  as  very  toilsome 
to  him.  However,  this  diligence  raised  a  very  zealous 
spirit  in  many  of  the  people.  The  inhabitants  of  Perth 
Amboy  presently  set  about  giving  materials  for  building 
a  stone  church.  The  inhabitants  of  Pi§cataway  repaired 
an  old  Dissenting  meeting-house  for  present  use,  and 
collected  among  themselves  an  hundred  pounds  towards 
building  a  stone  church.  While  these  things  w^ere 
going  on,  Mr.  Brooke  dies,  in  the  year  1*707,  very 
much  lamented  by  the  people  there,  and  remembered 
with  much  honor,  several  years  after  his  death,  in  a 
letter  wrote  by  the  church  members  there  to  the  Society, 
thanking  them  for  sending  another  missionary  to  suc- 
ceed a  worthy  and  never  to  be  forgotten  Pastor,  Mr. 
Brooke,  whose  labors  afforded  universal  satisfaction  to 
us." 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  to  the  Secretary, 
from  Monsieur  Neau,  seems  to  contain  a  full  justifica- 
tion of  the  course  of  Messrs.  Moore  and  Brooke,  and 
shows  what  were  some  of  the  difficulties  wdth  which 
they  had  to  contend  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty. 

New  Yokk,  29tli  Feby.,  1708-9. 
Most  Honored  Sir  : 

*  *  *  Now  Sir  I  must  answer  you  to  what  you  ask 
me  in  relation  to  Messieurs  Moore  and  Brooke.  Those 
gentlemen  were  assuredly  an  honor  to  the  mission,  and 
labored  with  much  vigor  for  the  enlargement  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  29 

Kingdom  of  our  glorious  Redeemer,  and  we  may  say, 
without  prejudice  to  the  rest,  that  they  were  the  Glory 
of  all  the  Missionaries  the  Illustrious  Society  has  sent 
over  hither.  The  purity  and  candor  of  their  manners 
preached  as  efficaciously  as  their  mouths,  insomuch 
that  we  cannot  safificiently  lament  the  loss  of  these  two 
good  servants  of  God,  the  occasion  of  whose  disgrace 
was  as  follows  :  My  Lord  Cornbury  has  and  does  still 
make  use  of  an  unfortunate  custom  of  dressing  himself 
in  women's  clothes,  and  of  exposing  himself  in  that 
garb  upon  the  ramparts  to  the  view  of  the  public  ;  in 
that  dress  he  draws  a  world  of  spectators  about  him, 
and,  consequently,  as  many  censures,  especially  for  ex- 
posing himself  in  such  a  manner  all  the  great  Holidays, 
and  even  in  an  hour  or  two  after  going  to  the  Com- 
munion, this  turned  the  heart  of  such  as  fear  God 
against  him ;  Mr.  Moore  knew  all  this  though  he  was 
at  Burlington,  and  this  made  him  censure  the  Ministers 
of  those  parts,  who  according  to  him,  were  guilty  of 
a  neglect  of  their  duty  in  taking  no  notice  thereof,  and 
he  made  no  scruple  to  say  publicly  that  his  lordship 
deserved  to  be  excommunicated,  whereupon  my  Lord 
Cornbury,  who  knew  all  that  was  said  of  him,  (and  who 
had  been  informed  that  Mr.  Moore  had  suspended  from, 
or,  at  least,  refused  to  give  the  communion  to  the  Lieut. 
Governor  upon  the  account  of  some  Debauch  and 
abominable  swearing,  to  which  that  gentleman  is  un- 
fortunately addicted,)  writ  to  Mr.  Moore  to  come 
hither,  to  the  end  that  he  might  send  him  to  Albany, 


30  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

but  lie  refused  to  come,  saying  that  the  gentlemen  of 
the  Society  had  allowed  him  to  reside  at  Burlington 
till  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Talbot ;  this  refusal  exasperated 
my  Lord,  who  went  to  Burlington  where  the  Lieut. 
Governor  heartily  joined  with  him  to  take  a  public 
revenge  upon  Mr.  Moore ;  my  Lord,  who  intended  to 
take  the  sacrament  at  Burlington,  was  surprised  to  find 
nobody  there  on  the  Sunday  following  but  his  own 
chaplain  to  give  it  him,  for  Mr.  Moore  was  gone  about 
12  miles  from  thence  to  administer  the  same  to  some 
poor  people,  and  this  action  of  his  furnished  the  design 
they  had  to  ruin  him,  but  because  they  would  not  dis- 
cover the  motives  of  oppressing  this  good  man  they  ac- 
cused him  of  intermeddling  with  the  affairs  of  the 
Assembly  because  he  was  seen  often  in  the  company  of 
Colonel  Lewis  Morris,  but  they  could  never  produce 
against  him  any  evidence  worthy  of  credit.  Mr. 
Brooke  was  looked  upon  to  be  no  less  criminal  because 
he  said  amen  to  all  that  Mr.  Moore  did ;  in  fine.  Sir 
(for  I  observe  that  I  grow  tedious,  but  it  would  require 
a  volume  to  relate  every  particular  of  this  unfortunate 
story),  my  Lord  brought  thither  with  him  Mr.  Moore, 
and,  without  any  form  of  trial,  imprisoned  him  in  his 
Fort  to  the  end  that  his  friends  might  not  see  him,  how- 
ever, I  was  there  every  day;  afterwards,  my  Lord  went 
to  Albany,  leaving  him  under  a  guard  of  soldiers,  who 
let  him  go  out,  since  which  time  we  have  never  seen 
him  more.  He  was  not  treated  so  favorably  as  the 
Presbyterian  ministers,  who,  having   given   security. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  31 

were  suffered  to  go  where  they  would.  Mr.  Brook 
was  here  the  day  that  Mr.  Moore  made  his  escape 
from  the  Fort,  and  was  diligently  sought  for  by  the 
OflScers,  who  intended  to  have  imprisoned  him  in  the 
stead  of  Mr.  Moore ;  all  that  night  I  had  two  sentinels 
before  my  door,  but  Mr.  Brooke  was  not  in  my  house ; 
I  caused  him  to  be  hid  by  one  of  my  friends,  since 
which  time  I  have  not  seen  him,  neither  for  which  I 
am  very  sorry;  I  protest  I  had  no  share  in  the  escape 
of  Mr.  Moore,  though  I  was  accused  of  it,  as  well  as 
Mr.  Yesey.  Orders  were  given  to  stop  Mr.  Brooke  at 
Amboy  in  case  he  were  found  there,  of  which  he  hav- 
ing had  notice  was  of  the  opinion  (and  so  were  his 
friends  there  too),  that  it  would  be  better  to  take  a 
journey  to  London  than  to  expose  himself  to  the  fury 
of  a  powerful  enemy.  This,  in  substance,  was  the 
cause  of  the  disgrace  and  ruin  of  those  two  Illustrious 
servants  of  God,  whose  crime  was  for  opposing  and 
condemning  boldly  vice  and  immorality;  but  the  friends 
of  Debauchery  and  corruption  of  Manners  affirm  that 
these  ministers  exceeded  their  power,  and  that  it  did 
belong  only  to  the  Diocesan  to  suspend  or  exclude 
from  the  Communion  persons  in  authority;  so  that, 
since  we  have  no  Bishop,  anybody  may  metamorphize 
themselves  into  Devils  without  fear  of  punishment. 
You  see,  Sir,  what  a  condition  we  are  reduced  to. 
Judge,  therefore,  Sir,  whether  we  can  labor  effectually 
in  the  reformation  of  manners  whilst  those  who  govern 
us  are  our  chiefest  opposcrs;  I  make  no  doubt  but  you 


32  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

will  have  heard  that  my  Lord  Cornbury  is  under  arrest 
for  debts  he  has  contracted  here :  he  is  sellino:  his 
household  goods,  but  there  are  several  warrants  against 
him  ;  I  have  been  to  see  him  once  since  he  was  arrested, 
but  I  did  not  find  him  like  Mr.  Moore  ;  I  am  assured 
that  he  continues  to  dress  himself  in  women's  cloths, 
but  now  'tis  after  the  Dutch  manner.  I  beg  you  to 
excuse  this  long  letter,  and  take  leave  to  salute  you 
with  a  profound  respect  as  being,  most  honorable  Sir, 
Your  most  humble  and  most 

Obedient  servant, 

ELIAS  NEAU. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  33 


CHAPTER    II. 

1707 — Rectorship  of  St.  John's  vacant — Appointment  of  the  Rev- 
Edward  Vaughan — Letter  from  Mr.  Vaughanfrom  Amboy — Desires 
to  change  his  position — No  provision  for  support  of  clergy — Estab- 
lishment of  packets  between  York  and  Bristol — Mr.  Halliday 
shares  Mr.  Vaughan 's  labors — Converts  from  Quakerism  baptized 
— Congregations  at  Amboy  and  Piscataway — Services  in  Rahway 
— Difficulties  in  reference  to  title  of  land  in  Elizabeth  Town — Ser- 
vices at  Woodbridge — Need  of  Bibles  and  tracts — Settlement  of 
controversy  in  reference  to  land — Marriage  of  Mr.  Vaughan — ■ 
Residence  at  Amboy — Character  of  settlers  of  Newark,  AYood- 
bridge,  Elizabeth  Town,  &q. — Proposal  to  the  society  to  procure  a 
donation  of  land,  and  send  negroes  from  Barbadoes  to  clear  it, 
cultivate  it,  build  houses  and  churches — Large  auditory  in  Eliza- 
beth Town — Character  and  services  of  Mr.  Vaughan — Services  in 
Newark,  Whippany,  and  the  mountains — People  of  Amwell  and 
Hopewell  desire  a  missionary — Memorial  to  the  bishop  of  London 
from  Newark  and  the  province  of  New  Jersey — Visit  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Beach — Promises  to  accept  a  call — The  widow  Arskin's  legacy  of 
nine  acres  to  St.  John's  Church — Whitfield's  visit — Mr.  Vaughan's 
death. 

From  lYOt,  to  September,  n09,  St.  John's  Church 
was  without  a  Rector,  though  letters  had  been  written 
to  England  deploring  the  lack  of  ministers,  and  setting 
forth  the  pressing  need  which  existed  of  schoolmasters 


34  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

and  a  Bishop.  Indeed,  the  churchmen  of  the  provinces 
urge  with  great  frequency  and  power  the  importance 
of  having  the  Episcopal  Church  fairly  and  fully  repre- 
sented in  this  country,  and  it  cannot  but  be  a  matter 
of  great  surprise  to  us,  that  the  petitions  which  went 
hence  to  England  were  so  long  disregarded,  and  that 
not  until  lt84  had  we  a  Bishop  of  our  own.  In  lt09, 
the  Keverend  Edward  Yaughan  was  appointed  the 
missionary  for  this  region,  and  Mr.  Talbot  writes,  in  a 
letter  to  the  Secretary,  dated  Burlington,  27th  Sep- 
tember, It 09:  "I  hear  Mr.  Vaughan  is  arrived  at 
Boston,  but  is  not  yet  come  into  this  Province  ;  he  will 
have  enough  to  do  to  supply  Mr.  Brooke's  charge  at 
Elizabeth  Town,  Amboy,  Piscataway,  who  have  had 
none  since  he  left  them  ;  but  I  have  done  for  them,  maybe 
once  in  a  quarter,  or  somebody  occasionally  passing  by 
that  way ;  but  poor  Hopewell  has  built  a  church,  and 
have  had  no  minister  yet ;  and  he  had  need  be  a  good 
one  that  comes  after  Mr.  Moore  ;  there  be  many  more 
in  England,  but  none  so  good  as  to  come  over  and 
help  us  that  I  can  see  or  hear  of." 

The  first  letter  of  Mr.  Yaughan,  of  which  we  have 
a  copy,  bears  date  "  Amboy,  in  New  Jersey,  December 
4th,  lt09,"  and  says  :  "  I  shall  carefully  and  faithfully 
distribute  those  small  tracts  according  to  the  honorable 
Society's  directions,  viz  :  to  those  persons  whom  I  find 
most  inclinable  and  ready  to  make  good  use  of  them, 
and  with  such  I  do  assure  you  this  country  doth  not 
superabound  that  I  believe  that  the  most  inveterate 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  35 

enemies  of  our  mother  church  would  recant  their  per- 
nicious notions  were  there  a  faithful  pastor  in  every 
town  to  instil  better  principles  into  their  minds ;  here 
are  a  vast  number  of  Deists,  Sabbatarians,  and  Euty- 
chians,  as  also  of  Independants,  Anabaptists,  and 
Quakers,  from  which  absurdities  Mr.  Brooke  brought 
a  considerable  number  of  them  to  embrace  our  most 
pure  and  holy  Religion,  and  I  hope  that  my  labors  also 
will  be  attended  with  no  less  success,  and  observe  that 
those  late  converts  are  much  more  zealous  for  promot- 
ing the  interests  of  our  church,  and  more  constant  in 
the  public  worship  of  God,  than  those  who  sucked 
their  milk  in  their  infancy.  This  is  great  encourage- 
ment to  the  Honorable  Society  to  continue  their  charity 
to  the  souls  of  these  poor  people,  and  to  send  them 
fresh  supplies  of  the  dispensers  of  the  mysteries  of 
Salvation,  to  repair  that  great  loss  which  they  have 
sustained  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Jenkins,  Mr.  Nichols, 
and  Mr.  TJrquhart,  of  Jamaica,  in  the  province  of  New 
York,  whose  cure  I  have  been  solicited  to  supply,  but 
declined  it  in  obedience  to  the  Society's  instructions, 
whose  leave  and  approbation  for  my  removal  to  that 
cure  I  must  humbly  beg  for  these  following  reasons : 
1st.  That  there  is  not  one  family  in  Elizabeth  Town  that 
can  accommodate  me  with  an  ordinary  lodging  except- 
ing Colonel  Townly,  who,  upon  the  account  of  some 
difference  with  Mr.  Brooke  (though  a  gentleman  of  an 
unblemished  character),  hath  declared  never  to  enter- 
tain any  missionary  after  him.      Secondly,   That  my 


36  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

salary  of  £50  per  annum  will  not  afford  me  a  com- 
petent subsistence  in  this  dear  place  where  no  contri- 
butions are  given  by  the  people  towards  my  support, 
and  where  I  am  continually  obliged  to  be  itinerant  and 
consequently  at  great  expenses,  especially  in  crossing 
Ferries."  The  third  reason  assigned  by  Mr.  Yaughan 
for  desiring  to  change  his  position  is  that  he  fears  his 
health  will  be  impaired  by  long  journeys  in  cold  and 
heat,  and  the  exposure  consequent  thereupon. 

His  request  was  not  granted  by  the  Society,  for  he 
writes  from  Elizabeth  Town,  December  4th,  1110,  com- 
plaining that  he  had  not  heard  from  the  Secretary,  and 
urging  an  augmentation  of  his  stipend,  alluding  to  these 
facts  that,  "  in  the  province  of  New  Jersey  there  is  no 
provision  made  for  the  support  of  ministers  as  in  the 
government  in  New  York,  and  that  the  people  have 
not  contributed  anything  towards  my  subsistence  since 
I  came  amongst  them,  and,  indeed,  to  desire  it  from 
them,  or  to  show  an  inclination  for  it,  would  very  much 
tend  to  the  dis-service  of  the  Church,  in  causing  our 
proselytes  to  start  from  us  rather  than  bear  the  weight 
of  such  burthens,  which,  to  their  weak  shoulders  and 
poverty,  would  seem  intolerable.  I  frequently  visit  the 
Dissenters  of  all  sorts  in  their  houses,  and  I  experi- 
mentally find  that  an  affable  even  temper  with  the  force 
of  arguments  is  very  prevalent  to  engage  their  affec- 
tions and  conformity  to  holy  mother,  the  church, 
which  I  do  assure  you  is  considerably  increased  by  late 
converts  from  Quakerism  and  Anabaptism."  *  *  *  ''j 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  3t 

beg  leave  to  let  you  know  that  there  are  Packet  Boats 
established  between  Bristol  and  York  for  the  benefit  of 
Trade,  and  as  I  shall  embrace  every  opportunity  of 
representing  to  you  the  affairs  of  our  poor  Infant 
churches  in  these  parts,  so  I  desire  you  would  com- 
municate the  instructions  and  pleasure  of  the  most 
honorable  Society  to"  &c. 

In  the  abstract  of  the  records  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Propagation  Society  for  lY  10-11,  it  is  said :  ''Upon 
a  representation  to  them  from  Mr.  Yaughan,  minister 
of  Elizabeth  Town  and  several  other  Parishes  in  Xew 
Jersey,  that  he  could  not  possibly  supply  so  many 
places  in  that  province  to  which  he  was  appointed,  the 
Society  were  so  kind  as  to  divide  the  burden  between 
the  said  Mr.  Yaughan  and  Mr.  Thomas  Halliday, 
whom  they  lately  sent  over  to  that  country."  To  show 
the  interest  which  was  felt  in  missions  to  America,  a 
single  quotation  from  the  Society's  records  of  1*711 
will  suffice.  *' At  this  last  Anniversary  meeting  a  poor 
Body  laid  at  the  Yestry  door  a  small  parcel  of  the 
Church  Catechisms  with  a  note,  desiring  that  they  might 
be  accepted  and  sent  to  the  Plantations,  and  an  order 
of  the  Board  was  made  for  sending  them  by  the  first 
opportunity." 

Mr.  Yaughan's  letters  written  this  year  give  infor- 
mation  of  much  importance  relative   to   the  history 
of  the  Church,  as  the  subjoined  extracts  from  them 
show : — 
4 


88  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

"  Elizabeth  Town  in  New  Jersey, 
America,  12tli  Sept.,  1711. 
Sir  : 

In  obedience  to  the  Honorable  Society's  Instruc- 
tions to  their  missionaries  I  here  present  you  with  the 
following  account  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Halliday  to 
this  Province."  *  *  * 

''I  preach  to  them  in  tlie  fore  and  afternoon  of 
every  Lord's  day  and  administer  the  blessed  Sacra- 
ment monthly  to  twenty-eight  or  thirty  communicants. 
I  have  baptized  since  my  arrival  to  this  government 
seventy-two  children,  besides  eleven  adult  persons,  un- 
fortunately brought  up  in  dark  Quakerism  and  Ana- 
baptism,  and  are  now  so  happy  as  to  be  members  of 
the  Church  of  Christ,  whose  worship  they  constantly 
frequent  with  great  devotion  and  seeming  delight." 

Mr.  Halliday,  whose  arrival  relieved  Mr.  Yaughan 
of  a  part  of  his  labors,  reports  to  the  Society  from 
Amboy,  Aug.  5,  1711,  that  he  officiates  in  "two 
places,  Amboy  and  Piscatoqua.  Amboy  is  a  place 
pitched  on  by  the  Jerseys  as  most  commodious  for 
their  Trade  in  the  country,  in  good  hopes  that  some 
time  or  other  it  will  appear  a  well  peopled  ally."  *  *  * 
"Piscatoqua  makes  a  much  greater  congregation,  and 
there  are  some  pious  and  well-disposed  people  among 
them,  some  come  from  good  distances  to  this  meeting, 
but  there  is  nothing  among  us  like  the  face  of  a  church 
of  England,  no  surplice,  no  Bible,  no  Communion 
Table,  an  old  broken   house,  insufficient  to  keep  us 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  39 

from  injuries  of  the  weather,  and  wliere  likewise  the 
Anabaptists  which  swarm  in  this  place  do  sometimes 
preach,  and  we  cannot  hinder,  the  house  belonging  to 
the  Town." 

Mr.  Yaughan  writes  from  Elizabeth  Town,  February 
28th,  February  nil-12,  to  the  Secretary: — 

"  Sir— 

Having  in  my  last  informed  the  Honorable  So- 
ciety how  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Halliday  my  labours 
were  divided  between  Elizabeth  Town  and  Raway  and 
that,  in  the  former  there  was  a  goodly  structure  built 
for  the  performance  of  divine  worship  but  not  inwardly 
fitted  according  to  the  rules  of  decency  and  order  for 
want  of  a  clear  title  to  the  ground  on  which  it  was 
erected  and  having  then  given  a  particular  account  in 
relation  to  that  matter,  I  can't  omit  this  opportunity  of 
acquainting  the  Honorable  and  Yenerable  Society  the 
Honorable  Colonel  Townly's  son  and  heir  has"  *  *  * 
"thought  fit  to  confirm  our  pretensions  to  that  land  in 
controversy  between  us,  by  granting  us  a  late  convey- 
ance for  it  which  has  been  acknowledged  before  one  of 
the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  Judicature,  and  I 
shall  take  care  to  have  it  enrolled  in  the  Registry  of  the 
Province  and  to  do  everything  else  that  may  be  neces- 
sary to  prevent  farther  disputes  and  trouble  concerning 
it,  so  that  I  hope  nothing  will  occur  to  delay  the  finish- 
ing that  edifice  in  which  I  exercise  my  ministerial  duties 


40  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

to  a  large  Auditory  and  administer  the  blessed  Sacra- 
ment of  the  Lord's  Supper  monthly  to  thirty  Communi- 
cants. I  have  baptized  in  this  government  near  eighty 
children,  besides  twelve  adult  persons,  my  monthly 
lecture  at  Raway  where  I  preach  to  a  small  congrega- 
tion and  catechised  their  children  hath  encouraged 
several  families  in  Woodbridge  an  adjacent  town  to 
address  me  to  officiate  among  them  which  I  gladly  and 
readily  complied  to,  having  so  evident  a  demonstration 
of  their  good  disposition  to  receive  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel  from  my  mouth  and  to  embrace  the  Christian 
faith  instead  of  the  erroneous  opinions  of  the  Quakers 
and  Independants  who  are  very  numerous  in  that  place 
in  which  I  hope  in  a  short  time  to  see  a  fabrick  erected 
for  the  worship  of  God,  for  my  auditors  there  and  other 
well  disposed  persons  are  willing  and  ready  to  encourage 
the  building  of  it  by  their  contributions,  which  I  re- 
ceive and  apply  to  promote  that  laudable  and  pious 
design  which  I  have  communicated  to  the  Honorable 
Col.  Hunter  our  governor,  who  has  also  been  pleased 
to  promise  us  his  license  and  bounty  to  enable  us  to 
accomplish  that  good  work  for  the  comfort  and  edifica- 
tion of  those  poor  people  who  have  all  along  been  des- 
titute of  the  means  of  salvation  and  who  have  hitherto 
lived  as  without  God  in  the  World.  Though  I  reside 
at  Elizabeth  Town,  whose  distance  is  ten  miles  from 
Woodbridge  yet  I  promise  through  God's  blessing  to 
supply  both  cures  by  officiating  on  every  Lord's  day, 
in  the  forenoon  in  the  former  and  once  a  fortnight  in 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  41 

tlie  afternoon  in  the  latter,  which  I  hope  to  perform  in 
the  summer-time  when  the  clays  are  long,  but  in  the 
winter  season  I  shall,  as  I  now  do  divide  my  service 
between  both  congregations-  by  preaching  alternately. 
This  is  the  method  I  intend  to  pursue  in  the  discharge 
of  my  sacredotal  Function  which  God  has  been  pleased 
to  crown  with  success  and  thereby  to  magnify  his  power 
in  my  weakness,  and  as  large  Bibles  and  common 
prayer-books  are  much  wanted  for  the  use  of  both 
churches,  so  I  humbly  pray  that  the  Honorable  Society 
would  be  pleased  according  to  their  usual  charity  to 
supply  them  with  the  said  books  with  some  dozens  of 
small  common  prayer-books,  expositions  on  the  church's 
catechism  and  other  practical  and  devotional  Tracts 
which  are  a  great  benefit  in  this  colony,  where  the  in- 
habitants are  (as  upon  the  account  of  their  ignorance 
in  the  doctrines  of  Christianity  so  by  reason  of  their 
poverty)  really  objects  of  that  true  charity  and  benevo- 
lence of  the  venerable  society  whose  continual  care  is 
to  do  good  to  the  souls  of  ignorant  men,  if  that  Honor- 
able body  will  vouchsafe  me  a  parcel  of ^  such  books  I 
shall  with  all  imaginable  care  and  fidelity  distribute 
them  as  I  have  done  those  I  have  already  received  to 
my  great  satisfaction. 

I  am  with  the  utmost  respect 

May  it  please  the  Honorable  Society, 

Their  most  faithful  and  devoted  servant, 

EDWARD  VAUGHAN." 

4* 


42  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  Records  of  the  Society  contain  this  entry  : — 

Itll. — "  100  small  Common  Prayer  Books,  and 
5  pounds  worth  of  Devotional  Tracts  to  Kev.  Mr. 
Yaughan,  Elizabeth  Town,  N.  J.''  Under  the  same  date 
alluding  to  several  acknowledgements  due  from  the 
Society,  it  is  mentioned,  ''  Such  Mr.  Townly  of  New 
Jersey  has  already  received  for  his  goodness  in  settling 
and  confirming  the  land,  on  which  the  church  is  built  at 
Elizabeth  Town,  when  there  was  a  controversy  about  it. 
He  has  been  acquainted  that  the  Society  esteem  it  a 
pious  and  good  act,  not  doubting  but  what  he  hath  so 
done  will  redound  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  satis- 
faction of  his  own  mind." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Halliday  writes  from  New  York, 
April  20th,  1114  :  "  Mr.  Yaughan  is  now  settled  and 
married  a  fortune  of  £2000  and  has  taken  up  his  resi- 
dence at  Amboy  and  intends  to  serve  it  and  Elizabeth 
Town." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  one  of  Mr.  Yaughan's 
letters,  dated  Amboy,  August  28th,  1714  : — 

"  I  most  humbly  take  leave  to  own  the  receipt  of  the 
Books  ordered  by  the  Honorable  Society  for  the  Churches 
I  supply  and  to  acknowledge  with  the  deepest  grati- 
tude to  the  Honorable  Society  great  piety  in  their  ac- 
ceptable present  to  the  Churches,  as  well  as  favor  in 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  43 

their  augmentation  of  my  yearly  allowance  for  my  com- 
fortable support  and  encouragement."  He  refers  to 
his  care  of  the  church  in  Amboy  (in  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Halliday),  and  speaks  of  the  advantage  of  his  residence 
there  to  his  health,  ''which  was  much  impaired  during 
my  abode  in  Elizabeth  Town  where  I  still  do  and  shall 
continue  to  officiate  in  the  fore  and  afternoon  three 
Lord's  days  successively  in  every  month." 

The  Secretary  of  the  Society,  in  the  year  IT  15,  re- 
ports "that  Mr.  Yaughan,  Minister  at  Elizabeth  Town 
has  used  his  utmost  endeavors  to  promote  the  interests 
of  religion  and  the  good  of  souls,  both  there  and  at 
Amboy." 

Mr.  Yaughan  writes  from  Amboy,  September  28th, 
IT  16,  touching  his  desire  to  be  restored  to  his  former 
charge  at  Elizabeth  Town  (from  which  it  would  appear 
that  the  Society  had  removed  him),  and  giving  informa- 
tion of  trouble  between  the  people  of  Woodbridge  and 
their  congregational  minister.  Mr.  Y.  was  invited  to 
hold  service  there  after  the  forms  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  a  "  large  and  convenient  timber  frame" 
church  was  erected.  "  Its  situation  is  upon  a  piece  or 
lot  of  ground  appropriated  in  the  first  settlement  of 
the  town  for  that  use  and  purpose,  by  the  very  prudent 
and  pious  care  of  Philip  Carteret  Esq.  and  then  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Province  of  New  Jersey,  under  the  then 
Lords  Proprietors  John,  Ld.  Barclay  and  Sir  George 


44  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Carteret  aforesaid,  &c."  The  interior  of  the  building 
was  unfinished  at  this'  time. 

There  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  from  Mr.  Halliday 
to  the  Secretary,  dated  Elizabeth  Town,  8th  Nov.,  1U6, 
in  which  it  is  said,  "  In  this  part  of  East  Jersey  there 
are  three  large  Townships,  Newark,  Elizabeth  Town  and 
Woodbridge  which  consist  of  upwards  of  a  thousand 
families  the  chief  settlers  of  which  were  New  England 
Independents,  who  are  now  old  and  confirmed  in  their 
erroneous  way.  In  each  of  those  towns  there  is  a 
large  Independent  Congregation  who  support  their 
preachers  with  the  allowance  of  £80  per  annum,  be- 
sides House,  Glebe  and  perquisites  of  Marriages.  The 
church  are  only  one  handful  of  People  from  England 
and  Scotland  not  passing  sixty  families  in 'any  Con- 
gregation in  this  Division.  By  which  it  appears  that  the 
generality  of  the  Country  being  bound  to  their  Preach- 
ers by  the  prejudices  of  their  Education  leave  but  a 
small  number  of  the  people  to  us,  who  considering 
that  we  are  under  the  protection  of  so  powerful  a  body 
as  the  Society,  think  that  we  need  but  very  little  from 
them ;  and  indeed  less  than  also  nothing  at  all  do  we 
receive." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Yaughan,  writing  from  Piscataqua, 
July  8th,  Itn,  says:  "I  fully  purpose  to  divide  my 
care  and  pains  equally  between  those  towns  and 
together  with  Piscataqua  take  upon  me  the  supply  of 
the  Church  at  Elizabeth  Town.  Elizabeth  Town  itself  is 
a  considerable  village  and  equals  if  not  exceeds  any 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  45 

in  the  Province  as  well  in  bigness  as  in  number  of 
Inliabitants,  custom  and  education  has  engaged  them 
for  the  most  part  in  the  Congregational  way,  but  not- 
withstanding they  are  not  so  very  rigid  in  that  persua- 
sion as  altogether  to  deny  their  attendance  on  my 
ministry  and  to  resist  the  force  of  reason  and  argu- 
ment by  which  many  of  them  have  been  and  will 
questionless  be  gained  upon  and  persuaded  to  leave 
their  errors  and  to  join  in  Worship  and  Communion 
with  the  Established  Church ;  there  being  a  large  and 
well-compacted  Brick  Church  built  some  years  ago  in 
that  town  by  the  Charitable  Contributions  of  well- 
disposed  persons  and  dedicated  to  Saint  John  the 
Evangelist." 

Mr.  Halliday  gives  this  information  in  reference  to 
the  cost  of  St.  John's  Church  in  a  letter  from  Eliza- 
bethtown,  August  1st,  ItlY.  "I  am  likewise  ordered 
by  your  Secretary  to  give  an  account  of  the  Building 
of  the  Churches  in  the  places  where  I  serve.  As  to 
Elizabeth  Town,  I  know  nothing  but  by  accounts  from 
others  that  there  was  £400  raised  by  subscription  of 
Charitable  People.  Mr.  Brooks  received  most  of  the 
money  and  as  Mr.  Townly  informs  me  he  went  to 
England  before  he  made  up  his  accounts,  several  sub- 
scriptions remaining  in  his  hands  unpaid,  but  as  his 
father  being  engaged  for  the  payment  of  the  workmen, 
he  had  made  up  the  deficiencies  and  given  bond  for 
£20  to  Elizabeth  Town  Church  however  this  is,  the 
Bond  is  now  in  Mr.  Willock's  hands  but  I  think  ought 


46  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

rather  to  be  employed  for  the  use  of  the  Church,  there 
being  only  the  shell  of  Brick,  no  pews.  Pulpit,  notwith- 
standing so  much  money  has  been  raised  for  it."  *  *  * 

"  All  over  the  Province  there  is  neither  Glebe  Par- 
sonage House,  nor  salary  for  a  minister,  (except  at 
Elizabeth  Town  £30)  nor  anything  else  belonging  to 
the  church." 

A  letter  from  Mr.  Halliday,  dated  Amboy,  Oct.  9th, 
IHt,  makes  the  following  suggestion,  which  would  be 
considered  rather  peculiar  if  made  at  the  present  day. 

"  May  it  please  the  Honorable  Society" 

*  *  *  That  if  the  Society  would  procure  a  dona- 
tion of  200  acres  of  land  from  the  Proprietors  of  the 
soil  for  the  use  of  the  Church  in  each  place  where  they 
send  a  Missionary  and  if  the  Society  could  spare  for 
some  time  a  dozen  of  good  negroes  from  Barbadoes, 
who  might  clear  that  Land,  fence,  dung,  plant,  orchard, 
make  Clover,  pasture,  burn  brick-kilns,  build  parsonage 
houses,  and  not  only  so,  but  with  a  little  expense  they 
might  *build  churches.  This  Plantation  so  improved 
would  afford  a  Missionary  a  more  plentiful  subsistence 
than  the  remission  of  10  or  £100  sterling  from  England 
from  this  with  labor  by  his  servants  he  might  be  sup- 
plied with  what  is  necessary  for  the  maintenance  and 
support  of  a  family  and  such  a  Plantation  would  be  a 
freehold  in  property  of  the  church  in  the  presentation 
of  the  Society  or  on  whomsoever  they  should  devolve 
it,  to  which  the  Missionary  should  be  legally  instituted 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  4T 

and  inducted  and  this  would  remain  to  the  memory  of 
the  pious  endeavors  of  the  Honorable  Society  in  all 

future  ages." 

"  Ao-reed  between  the  Rev.  Mr.  Yauorhan  and 


myself  that  we  should  jointly  write  to  this  purpose, 
viz  :  That  Elizabeth  Town,  Piscataqua,  Woodbridge, 
Amboy,  and  Freehold  should  be  served  by  a  circular 
turn  and  should  have  liberty  to  reside  in  any  of  the 
places  as  should  be  most  for  our  convenience  and  com- 
fort all  this  with  the  greatest  submission  I  humbly 
offer  to  your  venerable  Body  and  crave  the  honor  to 
submit  myself,  may  it  please  your  Lordships  and 
Honors, 

Your  humble  and  most  obedient  servant  and 
missionary, 

J.  HALLIDAY." 

Humphrey,  in  his  History  of  the  Propagation  So- 
ciety, says:  "The  members  of  the  Church  of  England 
wrote  a  letter  to  the  Society  in  the  year  IT  IT,  return- 
ing thanks  for  the  settling  of  Mr.  Yaughan  among 
them,  expressing  themselves  further  thus:  'We  esteem 
ourselves  happy  under  his  pastoral  care,  and  have  a 
thorough  persuasion  of  mind  that  the  Church  of  Christ 
is  now  planted  among  us  in  its  purity.  Mr.  Yaughan 
hath  to  the  great  comfort  and  edification  of  our  fami- 
lies, in  these  dark  and  distant  regions  of  the  world, 
prosecuted  the  duties  of  his  holy  calling  with  the 
utmost   application   and   diligence ;    adorned   his   be- 


48  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

liaviour  with  an  exemplary  life  and  conversation  ;  and 
so  behaved  himself  with  all  due  prudence  and  fidelity ; 
showing  uncorruptness,  gravity,  sincerity,  and  sound 
speech;  that  they  who  are  of  the  contrary  part  have  no 
evil  thing  to  say  of  him.'  The  Society  received  several 
other  accounts  to  the  same  purport." 

In  the  year  1*721,  Mr.  Yaughan,  after  giving  much 
interesting  information  in  reference  to  Amboy,  writes 
to  the  Secretary:  ''My  auditory  in  Elizabeth  Town 
where  I  reside  consists  of  two  hundred  souls  and 
upwards  of  which  I  have  more  than  forty  communi- 
cants and  make  no  doubt  but  that  their  numbers  will 
through  God's  blessing  on  my  labors  and  endeavours 
increase  and  multiply  more  and  more  and  that  there 
will  be  daily  added  to  the  Church  such  as  shall  be 
saved." 

The  next  letter  from  Mr.  Yaughan,  of  which  we 
have  a  copy,  is  addressed  to  the  Secretary,  and  dated, 

"Elizabeth  Town,  New  Jersey,  Oct.  6tli,  1731. 
Rev'd  Sir  : 

I  have  long  ago  taken  an  opportunity  to  send  you 
an  account  of  the  state  of  my  Parish  in  answer  to  your 
inquiry,  but  upon  the  perusal  of  your  Book  which  I 
lately  had  the  pleasure  and  satisfaction  to  see  and 
which  I  would  have  been  glad  to  have  received  imme- 
diately from  you  I  perceive  it  came  not  into  your 
hands  however  I  design  (through  God's  help)  to 
make  you  amends  for  it.     For  I  am  now  preparing 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  49 

the  Memorial  of  the  state  of  Religion  in  general 
throughout  the  whole  Province  of  Xew  Jersey  and 
shall  present  you  with  it  by  the  first  ships  sailing  in 
the  spring.  In  the  meanwhile  I  humbly  take  the 
liberty  to  tell  you  that  my  congregation  encreaseth  not 
only  in  this  Town,  but  in  the  neighbouring  Towns  of 
Newark,  Whippany  and  the  Mountains  where  I  visit 
and  preach  to  a  numerous  assembly  occasionally  and 
in  the  wilderness  and  dispense  the  Sacrament  to  them. 
I  have  Baptized  here  and  elsewhere  within  the  compass 
of  two  years  last  past  556  children  besides  64  adults, 
and  find  in  the  people  a  general  disposition  to  receive 
the  Gospel  according  to  the  way  and  manner  taught 
and  established  in  the  Church  of  England,  which 
gains  ground  through  all  the  Northern  Continent  even 
New  England  not  excepted.  Glory  be  to  God  who 
hath  opened  a  door  to  these  Gentiles  and  I  am 

Rev.  Sir  &c. 

EDWARD  VAUGHAN." 

June  20th,  1*132  the  Inhabitants  of  Amwell  and 
Hopewell  write  to  Mr.  Yaughan  requesting  him  to 
use  his  influence  to  procure  for  them  a  missionary  from 
the  Society. 

He  writes  again  to  the  Secretary  from 


50  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

"Elizabeth  Town,  Dec.  18tli,  1733. 
Rev'd  Sir  : 

Since  my  last  account  transmitted  to  you  I  have 

instituted   into    the   faith   of    Christ   by   baptism    88 

children  and   five  adults  within  the  compass  of  this 

year  and   am   now  giving   particular  instructions  to 

sundry  grown  persons  to  fit  them  for  that   ordinance 

and  to  qualify  them  for  the  Lord's  Supper,  an  holy 

institution  shamefully  neglected  before  my  coming  into 

the  country  to  the  great  decay  of  piety  and  religion, 

books  of  devotion,   practicall  pieces   of  divinity  and 

common  prayer-books  are  much  wanting  for  directing 

the  people  in  their  duty  to  God,  instructing  them  in 

the  right  way  of  religion   and   relieving  aiding   and 

assisting  them  in  a  regular  conformity  to  our  liturgy 

and   worship :    the  congregations   under   my  care   in 

the  several   parts  of  the   country  are   so  very  large 

and  numerous  that  100  common  prayer-books  would 

not  supply  half  the  number  that  stand  in  need  of  them 

and  are  not  of  ability  to  procure  them. 

If  the  Honorable  Societv  would  vouchsafe  to  bestow 
their  charity  upon  them  I  am  persuaded  it  would  have 
a  good  effect  namely  to  confirm  multitudes  in  their 
conformity  and  affection  and  lead  them  into  the  right 
way. 

The  ship  is  ready  to  sail,  so  that  I  only  say  that  I 
am  &c.  &c. 

EDWARD  VAUGHAN." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  51 

la  a  letter  dated  December  16,  1734,  Mr.  Yaiighan 
acquaints  the  Society  "that  he  had  received  the  Com- 
mon Prayer  Books  and  small  tracts  sent  him  and  dis- 
tributed them  among  the  people  who  professed  a  great 
esteem  for  them  and  were  not  of  ability  to  purchase 
them.  He  had  baptized  the  last  year  13  Adults  6 
of  which  were  negroes,  and  162  children  and  the  num- 
ber of  his  communicants  is  70  persons  at  least." 

In  1736  the  subjoined  memorial  was  sent  to  Eng- 
land and  is  of  value  in  connection  with  the  history  of 
St.  John's  Church,  as  showing  the  estimation  in  which 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Yaughan  was  held. 

"To  the  Right  Reverend  Father  in  Cod,  Edmond  of 
Divine  Permission  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  and  To 
the  Honorable  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel 
in  Foreign  Parts. 

The  Memorial  of  the  Members  and  well-wishers  of 
the  Church  of  England  in  Newark  in  the  Province  of 
New  Jersey  in  America  Humbly  Sheweth 

That  since  by  the  Dispensation  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence we  are  now  so  happy  as  to  be  blest  with  the 
light  of  the  Gospel  in  its  native  purity  and  truth  as  it 
is  in  Jesus,  and  as  taught  in  and  by  the  Church  of 
England  as  by  law  established  inferior  or  second  to 
none  in  the  world,  either  for  excellency  of  Doctrine  or 
purity  of  Worship,  We  can  do  no  less  than  acknow- 
ledge with  hearts  full  of  joy,  love  and  gratitude  our 
great  obligations  and  express  our  real  thankfulness 


52  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

next  to  God  to  your  most  venerable  body  for  voucli- 
safing  so  questionable  a  favor  to  and  making  us  par- 
takers of  such  an  invaluable  a  blessing  by  the  Ministry 
of  your  Missionaries.  The  Reverend  Messrs.  Edward 
Yaughan  Minister  of  Elizabeth  Town  in  our  neigh- 
bourhood and  William  Harrison  of  Staten  Island, 
the  former  was  directed  well-nigh  20  years  ago  by 
your  Honorable  Body  to  extend  his  ministerial  labours 
to  us  besides  serving  St.  John's  Church  in  that  place  and 
as  he  has  been  always  ready  and  willing  to  do  his  Duty 
and  to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ  among  us,  but  we 
were  not  for  many  years  well  affected,  inclined  or 
disposed,  to  hear  or  receive  him  or  any  Church  of 
England  Divine  on  account  of  the  strong  prejudices 
or  prepossessions  which  we  were  bred  and  trained  up 
in  by  the  respective  Pastors  and  Teachers  in  the 
Congregational  and  Presbyterian  way,  who  all  along 
represented  the  Church  of  England  and  her  Worship 
as  superstitious,  popish  and  idolatrous,  raised  such 
clamours  and  outcries  against  her,  as  terrified  us  from 
examining  into  her  Articles  of  faith  or  mode  of  worship, 
until  we  at  length  took  courage  and  inquired  into  the 
matters  in  controversy  betwixt  the  then  Dissenters  and 
the  Church  of  England  and  were  aided  and  assisted  by 
the  help  of  good  Books  and  the  public  preaching  and 
private  teaching  of  Mr.  Yaughan  who  has  done  much 
good  amongst  us  the  latter  was  called  by  him,  and  he 
was  called  by  him  {sic  MSS.)  and  he  was  so  good  as 
to  officiate  for  several  years  and  be  a  fellow  labourer 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  53 

with  him  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel  and  in  preaching 
to  us  a  lecture  on  the  second  Wednesday  of  every 
month  and  in  visiting  the  people  from  house  to  house 
for  their  information  and  instruction  in  the  way  of 
Godliness  and  virtue  whereby  a  great  door  was  opened 
for  enlarging  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  and  advancing 
the  interest  of  the  Church  of  England.  To  forward 
which  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  we  desired  that  as 
Mr.  Yaughan  and  Mr.  Harrison  could  not  possibly 
attend  us  with  that  constancy  and  frequency  as  our 
zeal  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  our 
Souls  could  wish  or  desire  we  applied  ourselves  to  Mr. 
Yaughan  and  entreated  he  would  join  with  us  in 
giving  an  invitation  to  the  Reverend  Beach  of  New- 
town in  Connecticut  Colony  to  give  us  a  visit  and  he 
did  accordingly  write  to  him  with  us  to  come  amongst 
us.  This  he  highly  gratified  us  in,  visited  the  people, 
had  several  conferences  and  disputations,  preached 
several  excellent  sermons  and  discourses,  administered 
the  Sacraments  of  Baptisms  and  the  Lord's  Supper, 
and  added  to  the  Church  such  as  should  be  saved ;  and 
gave  such  universal  satisfaction  by  his  sweet  behaviour, 
agreeable  conversation  and  great  humanity  that  we 
with  one  consent  gave  him  an  invitation  to  be  our 
Pastor  and  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
persons  declared  themselves  to  be  well  affected  to  the 
Church  of  England,  which  from  a  small  beginning  like 
a  grain  of  mustard-seed  is  now  grown  to  a  large  tree, 
wanting  nothing  but  a  due  cultivation.     Mr.  Beach 

5* 


54  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

has  promised  to  accept  of  our  call  and  Invitation  pro- 
vided the  Honorable  Society  will  approve  of  it..  And 
inasmuch  as  the  harvest  is  great  and  the  labourers  are 
few,  we  humbly  pray  that  your  Honorable  Body  will 
according  to  your  wonted  zeal  and  piety  for  advancing 
the  honor  of  God  and  the  Salvation  of  souls,  indulge 
us  in  this  request  and  transplant  him  from  his  charge 
in  Newtown  to  this  our  vineyard  to  be  our  constant 
guide  and  Instructor  in  Holy  things  and  to  show  us 
the  way  to  eternall  happiness,  to  confirm  the  weak, 
settle  the  wavering  and  strengthening  his  brethren  ; 
for  the  great  affection,  personal  respect  and  the  near 
relation  that  many  of  us  bear  to  him,  render  him  more 
acceptable  and  his  labors  more  acceptable  and  success- 
ful in  all  probability,  than  any  Stranger  from  Europe 
can  be  under  the  same  Character.  We  shall  only  add 
that  we  are  now  preparing  proper  material  of  stone 
lime  and  wood  for  the  building  of  a  large  and  decent 
house  for  God  according  to  the  model  of  the  Church 
of  England  and  shall  contribute  towards  its  support 
according:  to  our  ability  and  always  demean  ourselves 
towards  the  Divine  Being  and  our  worthy  superiors  as 
becomes  May  it  please  your  Lordships  Honours 
Your  most  obliged  obedient  and 

Humble  Servants,  &c.  &c." 

In  4he  published  abstracts  of  the  annual  reports  of 
the  Propagation  Society,  appended  to  the  Annual 
Sermon  before  that  Institution  it  is  stated  under  the 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  55 

head  of  Is^ew  Jersey  (1739)  that;  ''The  Rev.  Mr. 
Yaughan  the  Society's  Missionary  at  Elizabeth  Town 
acquaints  the  Society  by  a  letter  dated  the  29th  of 
May  1739  that  his  Church  hath  lately  received  a 
Benefaction  of  9  acres  of  good  land,  with  a  fine 
orchard  thereon,  for  a  glebe  for  the  minister  there 
forever,  by  the  Piety  and  favor  of  a  very  worthy 
widow  Mrs.  Anne  Arskins  of  Elizabeth  Town.  And 
that  he  had  baptized  in  the  last  year  129  Infants  and  3 
adults  and  that  the  number  of  communicants  is  84." 

In  1140  Mr.  Yaughan  writes  to  the  Secretary  giving 
some  account  of  the  preaching  of  Whitfield  and  making 
some  strictures  upon  his  doctrine,  and  in  1143  unites 
with  Mr.  Skinner  in  sending  a  letter  to  the  Society  in 
behalf  of  the  family  of  one  of  their  brethren  whose 
conduct  had  been  reprehensible. 

The  death  of  the  Rev.  Edward  Yaughan  occurred 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  year  1747  and  Dr.  Rudd  in 
his  Historical  Sketches  of  the  church,  says  :  "  From 
the  information  I  have  received  from  one  who  recol- 
lected this  valuable  man,  it  would  appear  that  he  was 
happily  constituted  for  the  times  in  which  he  lived, 
and  the  sphere  of  his  labors.  He  was  sprightly  and 
engaging  as  a  companion  ;  as  a  friend  and  neighbor, 
kind  and  liberal ;  and  his  public  ministrations  were 
marked  by  great  solemnity  and  tenderness,  especially 
the  administration  of  the  holy  Supper:"  In  ''Notes 
on  Elizabeth  Town"  by  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Murray  D.  D., 
it  is  stated  that  "The  news  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Dick- 


66  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

inson  [the  clergyman  of  the  first  Presbyterian  Church 
with  whom  Mr.  Yaughan's  '  personal  relations  were 
always  of  the  most  pleasant  character']  was  carried  to 
Mr.  Yaughan  just  as  he  was  dying,  and,  amongst  the 
last  audible  words  that  he  was  heard  to  utter  were 
these,  '  O  that  I  had  hold  of  the  skirts  of  brother 
Jonathan.'  " 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CIIURCn.  5t 


CHAPTER    III. 

1747 — Letter  from  Church  Wardens — Mr.  Chandler  invited  to  be- 
come Catechist — Agree  to  raise  £50  for  his  support,  and  to 
build  or  buy  a  house — Purchase  of  present  parsonage  and  glebe 
— Enlargement  of  the  house — Church  built  at  New  Brunswick— 
That  mission  united  with  Elizabeth  Town — Letter  from  Mr.  Chan- 
dler—Services at  Rahway,  at  Westfield,  &c.— Mr.  Wood  officiates 
at  Elizabeth  Town  and  New  Brunswick — Bell  procured  for  St. 
John's— Efforts  to  obtain  ordination  for  Mr.  Chandler — Need  of 
a  resident  minister— Leave  given  to  Mr.  Chandler  to  visit  Eng- 
land for  orders — Church  register  and  some  of  the  records  in  it — 
Mr.  Chandler's  ordination — nine  weeks'  passage  home — Preaches 
at  Woodbridge— Expects  to  be  invited  to  Whippany— Journey  of 
200  miles  into  New  England — Preaches  at  Woodstock — Needs 
better  provision  for  his  support — Interesting  facts  in  relation  to 
Elizabeth  Town — Erection  of  a  church  in  Woodbridge  contem- 
plated— Chime  of  bells — Library — Communion  plate  sent  by 
George  II.  for  St.  John's  taken  by  the  French. 

After  the  deatli  of  Mr.  Vaughan  the  Church  wardens 
wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Propagation  Society  the 
following  letter. 

Elizabeth  Town,  Dec.  26tli,  1747. 
We  the  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  of  St.  John's 
Church  in  Elizabeth  Town  in  the  Province  of  New 
Jersey  do  humbly  beg  leave  to  address  the  Yen'ble 


58  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Society  upon  the  death  of  our  late  Pastor  the  Rev'd 
Mr.  Yaughan.  We  have  to  our  great  misfortune 
owing  to  the  Indisposition  of  Mr.  Yaughan,  since  last 
Whitsunday  been  almost  deprived  of  the  ordinances 
of  our  Holy  Church  ;  and  had  not  the  goodness  of  the 
neighboring  clergy  prevailed  upon  them  though  with 
difficulty  to  visit  us  we  might  have  been  as  sheep  with- 
out a  shepherd.  In  these  circumstances  it  is  that  in 
our  own  and  in  behalf  of  a  numerous  and  dispersed 
people  [we]  implore  the  assistance  of  the  truly  charitable 
Society  under  whose  happy  influence  by  the  grace  of 
God  a  Church  has  been  collected  here.  A  few  days 
before  the  death  of  Mr.  Yaughan,  Mr.  Dickinson  late 
Dissenting  Teacher  in  this  place  departed  this  life.  *  * 
The  Dissenters  can  with  great  ease  be  supplyed  with 
a  Teacher ;  but  alas !  our  infilicity  is  such  that  we 
must  have  recourse  to  a  distant  aid  ;  yet  how  thankful 
ought  we  to  be  that  it  hath  pleased  God  to  raise  up 
such  pious  men  as  compose  that  Yenerable  Society  for 
our  support  1  Upon  a  mature  consideration  of  these 
things  and  upon  the  advice  of  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Seabury, 
the  Rev'd  Mr.  Brown  and  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Charlton  we 
have  given  an  invitation  to  Mr.  Thomas  Bradbury 
Chandler,  educated  at  Yale  College  in  Connecticut  to 
reside  amongst  us  till  he  be  of  age  for  Holy  Orders,  at 
which  time  if  his  conduct  shall  answer  his  present  cha- 
racter, we  humbly  hope  the  Society  may  be  pleased  to 
grant  him  leave  to  go  for  England,  and  if  found 
worthy,    that   they   may   continue   to    him  the   usual 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S   CHURCH.  59 

bounty  allowed  by  them  to  the  s'cl  church  at  Eliza- 
beth Town,  for  the  present  he  may  be  the  means  of 
keeping  the  congregation  together  by  Catechising  and 
Instructing  our  youth,  and  by  reading  some  of  the 
Prayers  of  our  excellent  Liturgy,  with  a  Sermon  at 
such  times  as  we  can't  have  the  assistance  of  the 
Clergy.  And  we  the  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  in 
behalf  of  ourselves  and  the  rest  of  the  members  of 
St.  John's  Church,  do  promise  and  oblige  ourselves  to 
raise  the  sum  of  £50  Current  Money  of  the  Province 
aforesaid  pr.  Annum  during  the  space  of  seven  years 
payable  half-yearly,  as  an  additional  sum  to  the  Yen'ble 
Society's  Bounty  towards  the  decent  support  and  main- 
tenance of  their  Missionary  ;  and  to  build  and  provide 
a  convenient  dwelling-house  for  his  comfortable  Resi- 
dence upon  a  certain  Tract  of  land  of  about  9  acres, 
which  our  church  enjoys  by  the  charitable  donation  of 
one  widow  Arskins  deceased,  a  late  pious  member  of 
the  same ;  or  elsewhere  as  shall  be  found  most  com- 
modious and  further  to  do  and  provide  everything  to 
the  utmost  of  our  slender  abilities  from  time  to  time 
that  may  contribute  to  his  good  ease  and  happiness 
during  his  ministration  and  to  the  increase  and  emolu- 
ment of  our  destitute  Church. 

And  we  do  further  beg  leave  humbly  to  implore  and 
supplicate  that  Yen'ble  and  Charitable  Body  that  they 
would  be  pleased  in  their  great  goodness  to  appoint 
the  s'd  Mr.  Chandler  their  catechist  amongst  us  with 
an  allowance  of  such  a  Salary  as  the  Yen'ble  Society 


60  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

shall  think  fit,  that  our  Children  and  Servants  may 
have  the  benefit  of  public  catechizing  and  farther 
instruction  in  the  first  principles  of  the  Christian 
Religion  and  the  Salutary  doctrines  of  our  Holy 
Church. 

Kev'd  Sir,  under  a  just  and  grateful  sense  of  the 
long  and  many  benefactions  of  that  truly  venerable 
Body  to  us  and  our  Fathers ;  and  in  a  humble  confi- 
dence and  expectation  of  the  continuance  of  their 
gracious  dispensations  and  offices  of  Charity  to  us  and 
our  Church  we  beg  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves  the 
Yen'ble  Society's  and 

your  most  obedient  and 

most  humble  servants 

JOHN  HOLSTEAD         •»       Church 
HENRY  GARTHWAITi     Wardens 
and  several  others. 

On  the  11th  day  of  December  1*749  Messrs.  John 
Halstead,  Jacob  DeHart,  Henry  Garthwait  and  Mat- 
thias Williamson  in  behalf  of  the  Church,  purchased 
the  property  now  occupied  by  its  Kector  for  "the  sum 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  pounds  New  Jersey 
"money  at  eight  shillings  the  ounce"  and  thus  conveyed 
it  to  the  Church.     (  Vide  Appendix  A.) 

"  To  all  to  whom  these  presents  shall  come,  Know  yea 
that  wee  the  within  named  Grantees  for  and  in  con- 
sideration of  the  sum  of  five  shillings  to  us  in  hand 
paid  by  the  Rector  Church  Wardens  and  Vestrymen 


« 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH. 


61 


of  St.  Joliu's  Cliurcli  ill  Elizabeth  Town,  Have 
granted,  bargained,  sold,  assigned  and  set  over  and 
by  these  presents  do  grant,  bargain  sell  assign  and  set 
over  unto  the  said  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and  Yes- 
trymen  of  St.  John's  Church  and  to  their  successors — 
All  our  estate,  interest,  right,  title,  property  claim  and 
demand  of  in  and  to  the  within  mentioned  dwelling 
House,  Lott  of  ground  and  premises,  To  Have  and 
to  Hold  the  said  Lott  of  ground.  Messuage  and  dw^el- 
ling  House  with  the  appurtenances  unto  the  said 
Rector  Church  "Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of  St.  John's 
Church  and  to  their  Successors  to  their  proper  use 
and  behoof  forever  :  In  witness  whereof  we  have  here- 
unto set  our  hands  and  seals  this  eighteenth  day  of 
February  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-five." 
The  glebe  contains  about  four  acres  of  land  plea- 
santly located  upon  Elizabethtown  Creek,  near  the 
centre  of  the  city,  and  the  first  house,  as  appears  from 
the  corner  stones  in  the  foundation  wall  of  the  present 
Parsonage,  was  built  1696-*!.     There  are  two  stones 

one  marked  thus 

—  H— — 


A     1696      M 


and  the  other  thus 


1697 

ANDREW 

HAMTON 

AND 

MARGRET, 


62  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

from  which  it  appears  that  the  house  was  erected  by 
Sir  Andrew  Hampton  and  Margarett  his  wife. 

This  house  was  enlarged  in  the  year  1165  and  an 
addition  made  which  contains  the  present  Study,  Din- 
ing Room  &c.  In  1811  the  Parsonage  was  re-built 
(with  the  exception  of  the  addition  made  in  1165)  and 
is  now  a  commodious  and  substantial  brick  edifice, 
having  recently,  by  the  liberality  of  the  congregation, 
undergone  extensive  and  complete  repairs. 

In  the  records  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  for  the  years  1148-9  it  is  said;  "The  in- 
habitants of  New  Brunswick  having  built  a  large  and 
handsome  church :  raised  300  pounds  towards  pur- 
chasing a  house  and  glebe  &c.  desired  Mr.  Wood  '  a 
gentleman  of  a  very  good  life  and  conversation,  bred 
to  Physick  and  Surgery  might,  if  he  should  be  found 
worthy  of  Holy  Orders  and  be  admitted  into  them  be 
appointed  their  Missionary,'  the  Society  have  so  far 
granted  their  request  upon  Mr.  Wood's  admission  into 
Deacons'  and  Priests'  orders  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of 
London  as  to  join  the  Churches  of  New  Brunswick 
and  Elizabeth  Town,  lately  a  mission  of  itself,  into  one 
mission  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Wood," 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  from  Mr.  Chan- 
dler is  found  in  the  MSS.  of  the  Propagation  Society 
(Letter  Book  Yol.  10). 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  63 

"  Elizabeth  Town  Dec.  20tli  1749. 

Keyerend  Sir, 

Ever  since  I  have  been  in  this  place  I  have  made 
it  my  business  to  answer  the  ends  of  the  Venerable 
Society  in  appointing  me  their  Catechist  to  the  utmost 
of  ray  ability,  with  that  view  I  have  not  only  read 
Divine  Service,  and  catechized  the  children,  but  have 
constantly  visited  all  Ranks  of  People  in  the  congre- 
gation— Particularly  that  part  of  the  congregation 
which  lives  in  Raway,  a  place  four  or  five  miles  distant 
from  the  Church,  and  am  fully  convinced  of  the  great 
usefulness  of  this  Practice.  I  have  occasionally  read 
divine  service  at  a  Private  House  in  Raway,  and  have 
been  surprised  at  seeing  the  great  concourse  of  People 
on  that  occasion.  There  are  several  Families  there 
that  make  a  part  of  our  congregation,  one  Family  in 
particular  of  good  Repute  has  in  the  summer  past 
deliberately  and  heartily  conformed  to  our  Holy 
Church  and  behaves  with  a  Zeal  very  becoming.  I 
find  there  numbers  of  the  Dissenters  well  affected 
towards  the  Church  ;  and  I  doubt  not  by  the  Industry 
of  a  faithful  Clergyman  in  Elizabeth  Town  a  consider- 
able part  of  the  Presbyterian  meeting  iu  that  place 
might  be  gained  over  to  the  Church. 

About  3  miles  to  the  northwest  of  Raway  at  a  place 
called  Westfield,  are  a  number  of  Families  that  con- 
stantly meet  together  on  Sundays  when  one  of  them 
reads  a  Sermon  and  the  Common  Prayers  of  the 
Church.     Turkey  is  a  Place  about  12  or  14  miles  to 


64  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES, 

the  west  of  us ;  there  are  some  Families  there  of 
professed  conformists  to  the  Church " 

The  Church  wardens  &c.  write  to  the  Secretary 
(extract).  , 

"Elizabeth  Town  Decembr.  ye  25tli  1749. 
Reverend  Sir, 

And  as  our  Congregation  is  ah'eadj  larger 

than  most  in  this  Province  we  dare  almost  engage  for 
its  greatly  increasing  if  the  Yenerable  Society  in  their 
great  Charity  will  be  pleased  to  grant  us  a  Missionary. 
But  on  the  other  hand  if  they  should  see  fit  to  neglect 
us  we  can  have  but  a  melancholy  prospect  before  us, 
and  can  foresee  nothing  but  Ruin  of  our  Church  being 
unable  of  ourselves  to  maintain  a  minister.  We  have 
already  been  deprived  for  above  two  years  of  the  Ordi- 
nances of  our  Holy  Church  unless  occasionally  ad- 
ministered by  the  Neighboring  Clergy  as  it  could 
consist  with  their  duty  to  their  respective  Parishes. 
But  we  have  not  been  discouraged  as  Mr.  Chandler 
has  been  with  us  altho'  but  in  a  lay  capacity,  and  as 
we  had  hopes  of  his  being  appointed  our  minister  as 
soon  as  he  should  be  of  sufficient  age " 

The  earnest  desire  of  the  vestry  of  St.  John's  Church 
for  the  constant  services  of  a  clergyman  will  appear 
from  the  letter  they  wrote  May  29th  1750. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  65 

"We  the  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  of  St.  John's 
Church  in  behalf  of  ourselves  and  congregation  return 
the  Yen'ble  Society  our  humble  thanks  for  their  great 
goodness  to  us  in  ordering  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wood  to  offi- 
ciate in  this  place  once  or  twice  a  month ;  we  had 
before  his  arrival  been  intirely  destitute  of  a  minister 
for  almost  three  years,  the  unhappiness  of  which  situa- 
tion we  were  sadly  sensible  of,  so  sensible  as  has  learnt 
us  to  have  a  proper  esteem  for  this  great  favor  w'ch 
the  "Venerable  Society  have  charitably  conferred  on  us. 
Mr.  Wood  has  made  us  two  Visits ;  we  honor  him  as 
ye  Yen'ble  Society's  Missionary  and  hope  he  will  never 
have  reason  to  complain  that  we  treat  him  otherwise 
than  with  suitable  respect — and  was  it  in  our  power 
we  should  readily  contribute  towards  his  better  support 
as  the  Yen'ble  Society  expects;  But  that  Rev'd  Sir 
we  have  been  at  such  an  expense  in  purchasing  a 
Parsonage  House  (whereof  we  have  given  an  account 
in  our  late  address)  and  in  getting  new  Bell,  besides 
the  constant  expense  we  are  at  in  maintaining  Mr. 
Chandler,  that  we  fear  we  shall  be  able  to  do  but 
little  towards  Mr.  Wood's  Support :  and  we  beg  the 
Yen'ble  Society  to  consider  our  inability  to  undergo 
any  greater  expenses  than  we  have  been  at.  What  we 
can  do,  we  have  done  already  and  we  who  have  been 
chosen  to  act  for  the  Congregation  have  prosecuted 
the  affairs  of  the  Church  to  the  great  detriment  of  our 
own  private  aflfairs.  But  all  this  we  have  done  with 
great  cheerfulness  being  animated  with  the  hopes  of 


66  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

having  a  Missionary  as  soon  as  we  should  qualify  our- 
selves for  the  Yen'ble  Society's  further  favors.     We 
have  been  constantly  told  by  the  Clergy  that  we  might 
expect  Mr.  Chandler  would  have  liberty  to  go  home 
for  Holy  Orders  last  Fall.     By  last  Fall  we  provided 
him  a  Parsonage  House  and  he  was  to  enter  upon  his 
Yoyage  waiting  for  nothing  but  the  Yen'ble  Society's 
permission — some  time  after  that  we  had  a  rumour  we 
were  to  be  annexed  to  a  new  Mission  the  Yen.  Society 
were  about  to  open  at  New  Brunswick.     Then  it  was 
that  we  first  began  to  be  disheartened,  but  to  encour- 
age us  we  were  told  that  probably  the  foundation  of 
the  Story  might  be,  that  the  New  Brunswick  mission- 
ary was  ordered  to  officiate  here  till  Mr.   Chandler 
should  return  in  Holy  Orders.     In  this  perplexity  we 
sent  an  address  to  the  Yen.  Society,  in  which  we  gave 
a  short  representation  of  the  necessities  and  circum- 
stances of  our  congregation  and  earnestly  entreated 
for  leave  for  Mr.  Chandler  to  go  home,  not  without 
hopes  that  liberty  might  be  sent  him  by  Mr.  Wood. 
At  length  after  a  tedious  passage  Mr.  Wood  arrived, 
by  him  we  had  the  honor  to  receive  a  letter  from  you, 
wherein  you  informed  us  that  Mr.  Wood  was  appointed 
Missionary  for  the  Yenerable  Society  for  Brunswick 
and  for  us,  to  reside  at  Brunswick  and  to  officiate  here 
once  or  twice  a  month  and  that  Mr.  Chandler  was 
continued  Catechist.     This  we  receive   as   a  further 
argument  of  the  Yen'ble  Society's  being  still  charita- 
bly disposed  towards  us  and  acknowledge  it  as  a  great 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  6T 

obligation.  But  may  we  be  permitted  Rev'd  Sir  to 
express  ourselves  freely  in  this  affair  ?  The  situation 
of  our  circumstances  is  still  such  that  unless  we  have  a 
Minister  constantly  to  officiate  and  reside  amongst  us, 
we  can  have  but  a  melancholy  prospect  before  us — 
Our  congregation  will  decrease  and  we  have  too  great 
reason  to  fear  that  in  time  it  will  hardly  deserve  that 
name.  For  as  long  as  the  Dissenters  in  this  town 
have  five  Ministers  settled,  constantly  to  officiate  in 
publick,  to  visit  them  in  private,  ready  to  serve  on  any 
particular  occasion  and  in  a  word  that  are  always  with 
and  among  them,  and  we  can  have  none  with  us  but 
once  in  three  weeks,  or  a  month,  who  resides  at  the 
same  time  at  20  miles  distant  with  a  Ferry  between 
him  and  us  which  makes  our  dependence  upon  him  at 
any  particular  time  more  uncertain  ;  as  long  as  this  is 
the  case  without  a  prospect  of  being  better  provided 
for,  the  difference  is  so  great  in  their  favour  that  most 
of  our  People  might  be  persuaded  to  think  it  their 
duty  in  that  condition  to  join  with  the  Dissenters.  A 
Minister's  success  in  this  place  depends  not  so  much 
upon  his  publick  performances  as  on  his  private  con- 
versation and  example.  Mr.  Wood  has  orders  to  offi- 
ciate here  once  or  twice  a  month  in  publick  and  has 
but  little  opportunity  for  private  conversation.  Altho' 
this  might  content  many  other  congregations,  such  as 
are  lately  gathered,  or  have  never  had  it  otherwise  ; 
yet  ours  which  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  this  Province  and 
have  always  been  used  to  have  a  Missionary  to  them- 


68  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

selves  are  most  of  them  possessed  of  other  sentiments 
and  it  will  go  very  near  their  hearts  to  be  deprived  of 
what  they  have  always  injoyed.  On  the  other  hand 
should  the  Yen.  Society  grant  us  a  constant  Mission- 
ary there  is  no  doubt  but  our  Congregation  would 
greatly  increase  and  our  people  would  not  regret  the 
heavy  expence  and  trouble  they  have  been  at.  Mr. 
Chandler  is  the  person  we  have  all  along  had  in  view 
and  from  an  acquaintance  of  between  2  and  3  years  we 
are  convinced  that  he  is  well  qualified  to  serve  us  in 
the  character  of  a  Minister,  and  as  he  is  agreeable  to 
our  People  universally,  it  is  particularly  in  his  power 
to  be  an  useful  Missionary  in  these  parts.  We  there- 
fore most  earnestly  and  humbly  renew  our  request  to 
the  truly  charitable  Society  that  he  may  have  leave  to 
go  home  for  Holy  Orders  as  soon  as  possible  and  that 
he  may  be  appointed  Missionary  to  this  place  with 
such  a  salary  as  the  Yenerable  Society  shall  think  fit 
to  grant  him.  We  humbly  apprehend  the  interest  of 
the  Church  in  this  place  depends  much  on  the  success 
of  this  our  request ;  we  therefore  throw  ourselves  once 
more  on  the  charity  of  the  Yen.  Society  and  are  with 
the  greatest  submission  their  humble  supplicants  and 
Kev'd  Sir  &c. 

^,       ,   „^     ,  ( PETER  TRANBLES 

Church   Wardens     < 

\  HENRY  GARTHWAIT 

f  JOHN  HALSTEAD    MATTHIAS  WILLIAMSON 
Vestry   \   JACOB  DeHART       JONA.  HAMPTON 

[  MATT.  DeHART. 
Elizabeth  Town  May  29tli  1750." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  69 

The  abstract  of  tlie  Society's  report  for  1149-50 
contains  this  entry : 

"Xew  Jersey." 

"The  Rev.  Mr.  Wood  whom  the  Society  in  the  last 
year  appointed  their  Missionary  to  the  Churches  of 
jSTew  Brunswick  and  Elizabeth  Town  hath  been  some 
time  arrived  and  is  very  fully  employed,  insomuch  that 
upon  the  earnest  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  Eliza- 
beth Town,  to  whom  Mr.  Wood's  duty  at  New  Bruns- 
wick will  permit  him  to  officiate  only  on  every  fourth 
Sunday,  the  Society  hath  consented  to  appoint  Mr. 
Chandler,  who  is  at  present  their  Catechist  and  much 
approved  by  them  to  be  their  Missionary  at  Elizabeth 
Town,  if  upon  his  arrival  in  England,  he  shall  be  found 
worthy  to  be  ordained  a  deacon  and  priest  in  our 
Church." 

In  the  year  1150  "A  Register  for  the  use  of  the 
Missionary  at  St.  John's  Church  Elizabeth  Town  New 
Jersey"  (which  Register  is  still  in  use  for  the  entry  of 
Baptisms,  Marriages  &c.)  was  commenced  and  con- 
tains the  record  of  services  performed  by  Mr.  Ogilvie, 
Mr.  Wood,  Mr.  Auchmuty  and  Mr.  Chandler,  whose 
first  entry  seems  to  have  been  made  November  3d 
1151. 

Baptisms. — "Matthias,  Son  of  Matthias  and  Susan- 
nah Williamson  (Maiden  name  Halsted.") 

"Jane  daughter  of  James  and  Jane  Bruff." 


TO  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Some  of  the  earlier  records  in  this  book  are  pecu- 
liarly interesting  such  as:  "llli  June  23,  Married 
Joseph,  a  free  Negro,  to  Mary  Matthews,  a  White,  by 
me  &c," 

"June  14th  1*761  "Christened"  "Ami,  a  wench  of 
Mr.  W.  Euen,  Adult." 

Zeb.  Son  of  a  Wench  of  Jos.  Magie. 

Dinah,  Daughter  of  Do. 

Cato,  Son  of  Do." 

''Sep.  30th.     Mindwell,  daughter  of  &c." 

Mr.  Chandler's  ordination  is  thus  alluded  to  in  the 
published  records  of  the  Propagation  Society. 

"The  Society  having  given  leave  to  Mr.  Chandler 
their  Catechist  at  Elizabeth  Town  to  come  to  England 
for  Holy  Orders  upon  the  united  testimony  of  their 
most  worthy  Missionaries  concerning  his  Qualifications 
he  arrived  in  England  in  the  Summer:  and  after  being 
admitted  into  Holy  Orders,  and  appointed  Missionary 
to  Elizabeth  Town,  he  went  back  and  writes  thence 
Nov.  11th  1*751,  that  after  a  passage  of  nine  weeks,  he 
was  got  safe  home,  joyfully  received  and  entered  upon 
the  duties  of  his  Mission." 

An  extract  from  one  of  Mr.  Chandler's  letters  to  the 
Secretary  (though  not  specially  relating  to  St.  John's 
Church)  is  interesting  as  showing  his  zeal  for  the 
extension  of  the  Episcopal  Church. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  11 

''Elizabeth  Towx  Maj  1st  1752. 

Rev'd  Sir. 

Among  other  places  I  had  an  early  invitation 

to  preach  at  Woodbriclge,  which  is  ten  miles  distant 
situated  on  the  Public  Road  from  hence  to  Philadel- 
phia. I  was  glad  to  accept  of  it  accordingly.  I  have 
Preached  there  6  times  already,  and  have  promised 
them  a  lecture  every  4  weeks,  which  I  have  hitherto 
and  design  hereafter  punctually  to  discharge.  It  is  a 
Country  Town,  large  and  populous  as  most  in  these 
parts,  but  the  number  of  the  Families  I  have  not  yet 
learnt.  There  were  formerly  a  few  families  there,  that 
professed  themselves  of  the  Church  of  England  ;  but 
they  had  not  been  visited  by  any  of  our  Clergy  for 
upwards  of  20  years,  there  are  two  Congregations 
there,  one  of  Presbyterians  and  the  other  of  Quakers, 
tlie  latter  of  which  has  very  much  increased  of  late 
years ;  appearances  now  are  much  in  favour  of  the 
Church  there,  and  I  have  seldom  had  less  than  200 
Hearers. 

I  expect  soon  an  invitation  to  preach  at  Whippany 
which  is  the  chief  town  in  Morris  County  and  lies  20 
miles  West  from  this  place,  it  is  one  of  the  last  settled 
places  of  this  Province  but  is  now  become  very  popu- 
lous ;  I  cannot  learn  that  they  have  ever  been  visited 
by  any  of  our  Clergy,  but  if  I  can  prevail  on  them  to 
accept  of  a  monthly  lecture,  on  a  week  day,  I  shall 
attend  it  thro'  all  the  seasons  of  the  year,  altho'  the 
Roads  for  6  months  are  extremely  bad.     I  shall  spend 


t2  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

as  much  of  my  time  at  these  places  as  I  can,  consist- 
ently with  my  duty  at  home  which  I  must  regard  in 

the  first  place" 

"  Some  of  the  Dissenters  at  Woodbridore  won- 


der that  I  take  so  much  pains  to  come  there,  and  think 
I  have  no  right,  imagining  that  I  am  limited  by  the 
Society  to  Elizabeth  Town,  and  I  believe  it  would  be 
best  upon  the  whole,  if  they  would  set  me  down  in 
their  abstracts  for  Elizabeth  Town  and  Woodbridge. 
It  will  give  a  greater  sanction  to  my  endeavours  and 
may  in  time  be  of  service  upon  several  accounts" 

IN'ovember  6th  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Chandler  in  a 
letter  to  the  Secretary,  says:  ''As  to  Woodbridge  I 
still  continue  to  give  them  a  monthly  lecture,  whereby 
I  have  greatly  succeeded.  I  believe  about  200  con- 
stantly attend  them,  among  which  about  15  families 
may  now  be  called  hearty  conformists  to  the  Church." 
In  the  same  letter  he  states ;  I  have  lately  been  a 
journey  of  more  than  200  miles  into  N.  Engld.  and  am 
surprised  at  the  great  increase  of  the  Church  in  many 
places  there.  I  preached  at  Woodstock,  an  inland 
Town,  35  miles  distant  from  any  place  where  the 
service  of  the  Church  had  ever  been  performed.  And 
by  the  numbers  that  attended  my  lectures  and  by  the 
desires  many  of  them  expressed  of  farther  opportuni- 
ties of  attending  on  and  being  acquainted  with  the 
service  of  the  Church  I  am  convinced  that   it  is  for 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  '[3 

want  of  opportunity  that  there  is  not  a  large  Congre- 
gation of  Conformists." 
Mr.  Chandler  writes  from 

"  Elizabetk  Town  Dec.  10  1754. 
Reverend  Sir, 

I  now  set  myself  down  to  a  task  which  I  can  no 
longer  defer :  and  it  is  with  extreme  reluctance  I  enter 
upon  it.  I  am  not  forward  to  communicate  to  others 
any  unhappiness  that  may  fall  to  my  portion  ;  and  least 
of  all  to  trouble  my  greatest  benefactors  and  nothing 
but  pure  necessity  could  prevail  upon  me  to  make  an 
application  of  this  nature  to  the  Hon'ble  Society  could 
I  find  any  other  way  to  be  freed  from  perpetual  anxiety 
in  providing  for  my  Family  what  they  shall  eat,  and 
wherewithal  they  shall  be  cloathed.  I  would  make 
myself  easy — For  when  I  devoted  myself  to  the  service 
of  the  Church  I  renounced  every  thought  of  making 
myself  a  Fortune  and  I  think  I  have  no  greater  ambi- 
tion than  to  arrive  to  the  free  use  of  my  own  thoughts 
and  the  power  of  prosecuting  the  business  to  which  I 
am  devoted  with  a  proper  spirit  and  without  distrac- 
tion. Even  had  I  a  fortune  of  my  own  I  would  choose 
annually  to  expend  part  of  that  rather  than  to  make 
my  complaints  to  the  Society  at  a  time  when  their  ex- 
pences  are  increasing  and  they  are  engaged  in  settling 
a  number  of  new  Missions  in  an  Infant  Colony.  But 
as  this  is  not  my  case  and  they  still  retain  a  kind  atten- 
tion to  the  state  of  these  Provinces — I  beg  that  I  may 


174  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

be  heard  while  I  offer  a  few  things  in  relation  to  this 
mission,  the  great  importance  of  it  and  the  necessity 
(as  matters  now  stand)  of  a  better  provision  for  its 
support.  These  two  points  I  hope  will  appear  from 
the  following  account,  which  may  be  depended  on  as 
true  without  any  exaggeration. 

Elizabeth  Town  is  situated  on  a  very  Public  Koad 
in  the  most  populous  and  thriving  part  of  the  Province. 
There  is  to  the  Northward  of  it  but  one  Mission  in  the 
Province  where  the  Missionary  has  full  employ  and 
officiates  at  different  Places  6  or  9  miles  distant.  To 
the  Southward  there  is  no  Mission  within  14  miles  and 
to  the  Eastward  and  Westward  there  is  none  at  all,  so 
that  the  Mission  here  must  include  an  extent  of  15 
miles  on  the  Post  Road  from  New  York  to  Philadel- 
phia and  extend  as  far  Westward  as  the  Missionary 
can  serve  and  as  there  have  always  been  many  Families 
of  Church  People  in  these  parts  interspersed  amongst 
the  other  Inhabitants  (about  85  Families  now  living  at 
such  a  distance  as  to  attend  public  worship  at  Eliza. 
Town  when  Poads  and  Weather  permit)  the  support- 
ing a  Mission  here  is  allowed  to  be  as  necessary  as  in 
any  part  of  the  Province.  Accordingly  the  Society 
was  pleased  to  make  it  one  of  the  earliest  Missions  in 
the  Province  with  a  Salary  of  £60  sterl.  By  the  in- 
dustry and  prudence  of  the  first  Missionary  there  was 
soon  a  very  flourishing  Congregation  and  by  what  I 
can  learn  at  that  time  the  professors  of  the  Church 
were  superiour  in  numbers  to  the  Dissenters.   But  God 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  *l5 

was  pleased  in  his  providence  to  take  him  to  himself. 
Another  Missionary  was  sent  over  to  succeed  him  ;  and 
about  the  same  time  a  person  was  settled  in  the  dis- 
senting Meeting ;  they  both  continued  for  almost  40 
years  and  died  in  the  same  month  of  the  year  — 47." 
*  *  *  *  "  In  this  vacancy  I  was  applied  to  who  was 
then  a  Reader  and  not  of  sufficient  age  for  H.  orders  ; 
I  came  and  serv'd  it  in  that  capacity  and  as  a  Cate- 
chist ;  and  for  my  encouragement  the  Society  was 
pleased  to  grant  me  a  Salary  of  £10  sterling.  I  soon 
found  that  a  Missionary  here  was  much  wanted ;  and 
as  the  people  were  desirous  that  I  might  serve  them  in 
that  character  I  readily  engaged  on  condition  that  the 
Society  should  see  fit  to  dispose  of  me  in  that  manner. 
An  earnest  address  to  that  purpose  was  sent  home  by 
the  people  with  a  joint  recommendation  of  the  neigh- 
boring clergy.  But  the  Society's  fund  was  then  low — 
and  we  had  reason  to  fear  that  some  particular  persons 
from  partial  views  had  made  unfavorable  representa- 
tions of  the  state  of  this  place.  For  it  was  annexed 
to  a  new  Mission  20  miles  distant  and  no  encourage- 
ment given  to  expect  an  alteration  in  their  Favor.  In 
the  meantime  I  had  invitations  to  other  places  but  the 
inclination  and  wants  of  the  people  made  too  strong  an 
impression  on  me  and  I  consented  still  not  to  leave 
them.  In  this  situation  I  continued  upwards  of  three 
years  encouraging  the  people  all  that  I  could  and 
using  my  Interest  with  the  Clergy  to  engage  them  if 


T6  THE  CnURCII  TX  TFIE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

possible  to  x^revail  with  the  Society  to  reverse  their 
determination. 

At  last  we  succeeded  and  I  had  leave  to  go  home 
for  Orders  for  this  place  with  a  Salary  of  £30  sterl. 
which  was  half  of  what  had  been  granted  to  former 
Missionaries  here.  We  were  all  then  filled  with  high 
spirits  and  £30  sterling  to  those  who  almost  dispaired 
of  anything  seemed  a  large  sum.  The  People  also  had 
engaged  to  the  Society  £60  this  currency  (equal  to 
little  more  than  £30  Sterling)  towards  my  support,  and 
upon  this  footing  I  went  home  and  returned  in  Holy 
Orders. 

And  altho'  my  expectations  of  success  were  too  san- 
guine yet  I  have  the  pleasure  to  see  my  Congregation 
increase  and  some  instances  of  a  visible  reformation  in 
morals  as  well  as  in  principle  and  I  doubt  not  but  it 
would  continue  to  encrease  perhaps  much  faster  than 
at  present  were  I  under  better  advantages  to  serve 
them,  when  I  first  came  to  this  place  Y  years  ago  the 
number  of  communicants  was  something  above  40. 
Three  years  after  when  I  went  to  England  they  were 
well  nigh  60  and  at  present  they  amount  to  almost  90. 
But  the  pains  I  have  taken  in  order  to  this  are  con- 
siderable both  in  visiting  and  in  preaching  Lectures  in 
the  distant  parts  of  my  Mission.  By  means  of  a 
monthly  lecture  at  Woodbridge  10  miles  distant  which 
I  voluntarily  undertook  (and  a  regular  attendance  upon 
which  thro'  all  the  seasons  has  cost  me  much  fatigue 
and  many  hardships)  there  are  now  20  Families  Pro- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  *l*l 

fessors  of  the  Church  of  England  and  several  com- 
municants where  three  years  past  there  was  but  one 
family.  I  have  also  had  invitations  to  preach  periodi- 
cal lectures  at  other  distant  places,  but  not  being  able 
to  undergo  the  expence  I  am  for  the  present  obliged 
to  refuse  them  and  when  so  many  doors  are  open  for 
my  being  more  useful  it  is  a  great  unhappiness  to  me 
to  be  under  any  restraint — that  when  my  duty  calls  me 
abroad  my  necessities  should  confine  me  at  home  and 
to  attend  upon  a  School. 

It  may  be  thought  by  persons  who  are  strangers  to 
these  parts  that  £30  together  with  £60  currency  en- 
gaged by  subscription  might  answer  tolerably  well  in 
a  Country  place.  Indeed  I  am  of  the  opinion  that 
there  are  some  Inland  places  in  which  it  would  be  a 
comfortable  support,  but  in  this  Town  provisions  of  all 
kinds  are  as  dear  as  in  our  most  populous  Cities.  For 
we  are  here  a  Sea  Port  but  16  miles  by  water  from 
New  York  and  equally  handy  to  foreign  markets  and 
meat  of  all  sorts  is  in  fact  dearer  here  than  in  the  Xew 
York  market.  But  of  what  was  engaged  by  subscrip- 
tion £28  has  dropt  by  deaths  and  Removals  and  altho 
many  Families  have  been  added  to  the  Church,  yet 
they  are  utterly  unable  to  repair  to  me  that  loss.  We 
have  some  Families  in  our  congregation  in  good  cir- 
cumstances ;  but  the  greater  part  are  poor  and  many 
of  them  the  proper  objects  of  every  kind  of  Charity 
and  as  most  of  my  principal  Parishioners  are  either 
dead  or  moved  off,  so  no  more  can  be  expected  of 


IS  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

those  that  remain,  tlian  that  they  make  good  their  pro- 
portion of  the  engagement,  especially  after  the  heavy 
expences  they  have  been  at  of  late  years  in  repairing 
the  Church  and  purchasing  a  parsonage  House  and 
Glebe.  As  I  have  received  nothing  for  my  trouble 
from  ray  new  congregation  at  Woodbridge,  so  I  can 
expect  nothing  considerable  from  them  as  they  are 
small  and  poor  and  are  about  erecting  a  small  Church 
for  the  conveniency  of  public  worship. 

After  all  were  my  people  generally  backward  to 
exert  themselves  according  to  their  abilities  I  should 
not  think  they  deserved  farther  Favor  from  the  Society. 
But  I  cannot  be  their  accuser  in  this  respect,  for  I 
verily  believe  their  chief  fault  is  their  poverty.  But 
for  this  they  must  not  be  deserted,  nay  this  very  cir- 
cumstance must  strongly  recommend  them  to  so  chari- 
table a  Society,  whose  general  and  iirst  design  con- 
spires with  that  of  our  Bedeemer  that  to  the  poor  the 
gospel  should  be  preached.  And  I  humbly  hope  (from 
my  regard  and  affection  to  them  and  not  only  with  a 
view  to  my  own  interest)  that  the  Society  after  this 
Information  will  be  graciously  pleased,  to  put  it  in  the 
power  of  their  Missionary  to  do  them  a  great  service 
by  making  the  Salary  equal  to  the  least  in  the  Pro- 
vince and  that  they  will  be  pleased  to  make  one  of  the 
most  important  and  laborious  of  their  Missions  a 
comfortable  living. 

I  am  conscious  of  my  own  unworthiness  and  do  not 
pretend  to  plead  any  services  I  have  already  done  :  In 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  T9 

many  instances  I  know  that  I  have  fallen  short  of  my 
duty;  however  I  hope  that  my  earnest  and  constant 
endeavors  will  meet  with  a  favorable  interpretation.  I 
have  always  received  from  the  Society  far  beyond  my 
deserts,  and  may  God  reward  all  my  Hon'ble  Bene- 
factors more  than  seven  fold  into  their  own  bosoms. 
But  still  I  will  venture  to  plead  the  greater  services  I 
might  do  ;  and  since  they  have  done  me  the  Honor  to 
intrust  me  with  the  immediate  care  of  this  Mission  my 
humble  and  earnest  request  is  that  I  may  not  be  under 
greater  disadvantages  to  answer  the  ends  of  my  ap- 
pointment than  any  other  Missionary  in  these  parts 
and  I  beg  that  any  former  unfruitfulness  of  this  people 
may  not  be  imputed  to  them  so  far  as  to  exclude  them 
from  their  share  in  this  favor.  For  my  part  I  have 
but  a  bad  opinion  in  general  of  removals  in  the  Church 
in  this  country;  and  I  should  rejoice  to  spend  my 
strength  and  my  days  here.  But  if  I  should  be  so 
unhappy  as  not  to  succeed  in  my  Petition  in  favor  of* 
this  place  ;  I  find  that  I  shall  necessarily  be  obliged  in 
the  next  place  to  beg  leave  of  the  Society  to  suit  my- 
self with  some  vacancy  when  opportunity  offers. 

I  humbly  beg  pardon  for  the  length  of  this  letter 
and  for  the  great  freedom  I  have  made  use  of,  with  the 
greatest  duty  and  submission  to  the  Society  I  beg 
liberty  to  subscribe  myself  their  and  also 

Reverend  Sir,  your  most  obedient,  faithful  and 

humble  Servant 
THOS.  BRADBURY  CHANDLER." 


80  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  Society's  Records  for  the  years  1^54-5  state 
that;  "The  Rev.  Mr.  Chandler  the  Society's  Mission- 
ary to  Elizabeth  Town  and  Woodbridge,  doth  great 
good  in  his  Station  :  when  he  went  to  Elizabeth  Town 
about  1  years  ago,  the  number  of  his  Communicants 
was  only  40,  but  they  are  encreased  to  90  and  many 
families  interspersed  in  the  Country,  to  the  number  of 
about  85  attend  Public  Worship  at  the  Church  in 
Elizabeth  Town,  when  the  Roads  and  weather  will 
permit ;  and  by  means  of  a  monthly  lecture  at  Wood- 
bridge,  10  miles  distant,  there  are  20  families  become 
members  of  the  Church  there,  where  but  three  years 
before  there  was  but  one  family  of  our  Communion ; 
and  they  are  about  erecting  a  Church." 

April  10th  1156  Mr.  Chandler  informs  the  Society 
"  That  the  Church  in  his  Mission  maintains  its  ground, 
and  that  was  the  most  that  could  be  said  of  it,  as  the 
people  were  much  more  attentive  to  their  civil  than 
religious  concerns  in  that  critical  juncture." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Rudd  in  his  "  Sketches"  mentions 
that;  "About  the  year  lT5t  the  Church  here  was 
favored  by  the  notice  of  George  II.,  who  ordered  a 
chime  of  bells,  and  a  valuable  library,  for  the  use  of 
the  congregation,  with  some  plate  for  the  altar ;  these 
were  taken  by  the  French,  and  of  course  we  lost  the 
benefit  and  pleasure  of  the  gift." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  81 


CHAPTEK    lY. 

1760 — Wallingford  Controversy — Prevalence  of  smallpox — Good 
feeling  between  Dissenters  and  Churchmen — Mr.  Hardy  appointed 
Governor — Money  raised  by  lottery  for  repairing  church  and  par- 
sonage at  Amboy — Proposal  to  annex  Woodbridge  to  that  Mission 
— Xeed  of  tracts — Mr.  Chandler's  views  adverse  to  preaching 
much  about  the  Church — Charter  granted  to  St.  John's  Church — 
Charter — Letter  from  Perth  Amboy  in  reference  to  the  progress 
of  the  church  in  Piscataway,  Mount  Holly  and  Trenton — Pros- 
pect of  a  Bishop  for  America — St.  John's  vestry  vote  to  enlarge 
the  church — Determined  to  rebuild — Foundation  laid — Progress 
of  the  work  arrested  by  the  Revolution. 

Mr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Secretary  from 

"Elizabeth  Towx  July  5tli  1760. 
Reverend  Sir, 

My  last  letter  was  of  the  12th  of  Xoveraber  which 
was  intrusted  to  the  care  of  Mr.  Milner ;  and  as  I  have 
heard  of  his  arrival  I  hope  it  came  safe  to  hand.  I 
then  enclosed  two  Pamphlets  relating  to  the  Walling- 
ford  controversy  there  have  .since  beeli  published  seve- 
ral others  on  that  subject,  which  I  have  accidentally 
seen.  I  have  sent  to  New  England  for  a  copy  of  each 
and  if  I  succeed  in  my  endeavours  to  procure  them  I 
shall  take  the  liberty  also  to  transmit  them.     As  I  ex- 


82  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

pect  that  will  be  soon  I  will  not  trouble  you  at  present 
with  anything  farther  than  the  necessary  account  of  my 
own  Mission.  My  congregations  both  here  and  in 
Woodbridge  have  suffered  much  by  the  loss  of  many 
useful  and  reputable  persons  who  have  died  of  the 
Small  Pox ;  which  distemper  was  never  so  epidemical 
in  these  parts,  nor  attended  with  such  ill  effects  to  the 
unhappy  patients.  To  much  more  than  half  those  who 
had  it  here  in  the  natural  way  it  has  proved  fatal. 
I^othing  else  material  has  happened  in  my  Mission.  I 
continue  to  do  my  duty  here  and  at  Woodbridge  in  the 
best  manner  I  am  able  and  have  reason  to  hope  that  I 
am  not  altogether  unsuccessful.  From  Michaelmas  last 
(for  I  find  that  my  last  account  comes  down  no  later) 
until  Midsummer  I  have  christened  one  adult  and  23 
Infants  and  have  had  four  new  Communicants. 

Many  persons  otherwise  of  unblameable  lives  con- 
tinue to  be  backward  in  coming  to  the  H.  Communion  ; 
notwithstanding  my  utmost  endeavours  to  convince  them 
of  their  duty  herein,  and  to  persuade  them  to  practise 
it.  For  which  reason  I  must  renew  my  application  to 
the  Society,  for  a  number  of  the  Reasonable  Communi- 
cant or  some  such  book,  if  they  are  not  ordered 
already ;  and  I  shall  be  careful  to  distribute  them  in 
the  most  proper  manner.  I  have  only  to  add  that  I 
have  drawn  for  my  Salary  until  Midsummer,  and  that 
I  am  with  the  greatest  respect 

Reverend  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  83 

The  followiDg  is  an  extract  from  one  of  Mr.  C's 
letters. 

"Elizabeth  Town  April  6tli  1761. 
Reverend  Sir, 

The  Church  seems  to  be  in  a  state  neither  of 

encreasing  nor  of  losing  ground  in  regard  to  its 
numbers.  This  appears  to  me  to  be  in  some  measure 
owing  to  that  general  harmony  and  good  understand- 
ing which  subsists  between  ye  Church  and  the  Dis- 
senters. The  points  in  controversy  between  us,  some 
years  ago  were  disputed  with  warmth  and  some  degree 
of  animosity.  Then  ye  Church  visibly  gained  ground. 
But  those  disputes  have  for  some  time  subsided  and 
Charity,  candor  and  moderation  seem  to  have  been 
studied,  or  at  least  affected  on  both  sides.  The  Dis- 
senters have  become  so  charitable  as  to  think  there  is 
no  material  difference  between  ye  Church  and  them- 
selves ;  and  consequently  that  no  material  advantage  is 
to  be  had  by  conforming  to  ye  Church  and  under  the 
influence  of  this  opinion,  custom  and  a  false  notion  of 
honor  will  be  an  effectual  bar  against  conformity. 

On  the  other  hand  I  fear  that  such  is  ye  moderation 
of  ye  Church,  as  to  return  ye  compliment  in  their 
opinion  of  ye  Dissenters  and  possibly  in  time  we  may 
come  to  think  that  ye  unity  of  Christ's  body  is  a 
chimerical  doctrine — that  Schism  is  an  Ecclesiastical 
Scarecrow — and  that  Episcopal  is  no  better  than  ye 
leathern  mitten  ordination  ;  or  in  other  words,  that  ye 
authority  derived  from  Christ,  is  no  better  than  that 


84  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

which  is  given  by  ye  mob.  I  hope  the  Clergy  do  not 
countenance  these  notions ;  but  if  they  are  suffered  to 
prevail  amongst  our  own  people,  ye   Clergy  must  in 

some  measure  be  accountable  for  it 

Reverend  Sir  &c. 

T.  B.  CHANDLER." 


The  Society's  abstract  of  reports  for  1761  states 
that;  ''Mr.  Chandler  continues  to  do  duty  at  Wood- 
bridge  so  far  as  is  consistent  with  his  obligations  at 
Elizabeth  Town  and  administers  the  Holy  Communion 
there  three  times  a  year,  viz :  On  the  Sundays  succeed- 
ing the  three  great  Festivals.  In  the  preceding  half 
year  he  had  baptized  1  adult  and  29  Infants.  He  has 
had  6  new  Communicants  this  year."  *  *  *  *  ''He 
begs  a  number  of  The  Reasonable  Communicant^  which 
were  sent  him  accordingly." 

Mr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Secretary  (extract). 

"Elizabeth  Town  Jany.  5tli  1762. 

Reverend  Sir 

My  last  letter  was  of  July  5th  since  which  time 
nothing  material  hath  happened  in  this  Province,  ex- 
cepting ye  succession  of  Mr.  Hardy  to  ye  government. 
The  poor  destitute  Church  of  Amboy  where  his  Ex- 
cellency resides  seems  already  to  have  experienced 
some  happy  effects  of  his  presence  ;  for  partly  in  con- 
sequence thereof  they  are  now  raising  money  by  a 
lottery  for  repairing  their  Church  Parsonage  House 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN's  CHURCH.  85 

&c.,  and  I  am  informed  have  renewed  their  application 
to  ye  Society  for  a  Missionary  many  of  them  having  of 
length  become  sensible  of  their  want  of  one.  Should 
one  be  granted  them  I  beg  leave  that  Woodbridge 
may  be  annexed  to  that  Mission.  The  Churches  of 
those  two  places  are  but  four  miles  distant  and  may 
easily  be  served  by  the  same  Missionary. 

Of  ye  rise  and  progress  of  that  Church,  I  have  from 
time  to  time  informed  the  Society  ye  substance  of 
which  it  may  not  be  improper  on  this  occasion  briefly 
to  recapitulate. 

As  soon  as  I  entered  into  ye  Society's  service  as 
Missionary  in  the  year  1T51  I  made  it  my  practice  to 
preach  Lectures  on  week-days  in  ye  most  distant  parts 
of  my  Mission,  as  often  as  I  had  invitation  and  oppor- 
tunity. I  soon  was  invited  by  some  of  ye  Woodbridge 
people  who  had  casually  been  at  my  Lectures  to 
preach  there  ;  and  considering  that  there  had  formerly 
been  a  Church  in  that  Place,  which  had  gone  to  ruin, 
and  ye  congregation  mixed  with  ye  mass  of  Dissenters 
for  want  of  having  ye  Church  service  performed 
amongst  them  I  ye  more  readily  accepted  of  ye  Invita- 
tion. I  found  but  one  family  in  ye  Place  that  still 
adhered  to  ye  Church  which  attended  its  worship  at 
Amboy  ;  but  several  which  had  no  aversion  to  it,  and 
some  which  were  much  disgusted  at  ye  proceedings  of 
ye  Presbyterian  Meeting.  My  Lecture  was  much 
crowded  and  I  was  importuned  to  visit  them  again. 
I  soon  met  with  such  encouragement  that  I  engaged 
8 


86  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

to  give  them  a  raontLly  lecture  which  I  continued  for 
several  years.  The  event  was  that  about  twenty  Fami- 
lies conformed  to  the  Church.  They  built  a  small  but 
decent  Church  in  the  year  It 54,  from  which  time  I 
have  made  it  a  Rule  to  preach  in  it  every  6th  Sunday 
and  to  administer  ye  H.  Communion  thrice  a  year. 
The  severe  manner  in  which  I  had  ye  Small  Pox  in 
1*751  and  ye  ill  effects  whereof  it  was  three  years 
before  I  perfectly  recovered  greatly  interrupted  ye 
course  of  my  services,  especially  at  Woodbridge  which 
is  ten  miles  distant :  but  for  some  time  past  I  have 
gone  on  in  my  wonted  course  and  ye  Congregation 
hath  been  kept  tolerably  together.  What  I  have  done 
hath  been  full  as  much  as  was  consistent  with  my  duty 
to  ye  first  and  immediate  object  of  my  care  ;  but  more 
than  I  have  hitherto  done  seems  now  to  be  necessary ; 
and  yet  the  circumstances  of  my  Congregation  here 
are  such,  that  I  can  be  less  spared  than  ever. 

The  Society  will  be  pleased  to  remember,  that  I  was 
appointed  their  Missionary  at  Woodbridge  on  my  own 
request  with  a  discretionary  power  to  serve  them  in 
such  a  manner  and  proportion  as  ye  circumstances  of 
that  Place  and  this  might  render  expedient.  An  en- 
largement of  my  Salary  on  that  account,  was  neither 
asked  nor  desired,  nor  were  any  promises  of  pay  made 
me  by  the  people,  nor  have  I  ever  received  any  pay  or 
gratuities  to  ye  amount  of  more  than  Five  Guineas  in 
ye  whole  time  of  my  serving  them  altho'  in  that  service 
I  have  rode  more  than  3000  miles  and  preached  near 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  87 

200  sermons  besides  doing  other  duties.  This  I  men- 
tion to  show  that  I  have  been  a  Volunteer  in  this 
service,  having  received  ye  Society's  permission  rather 
than  their  orders  relating  thereto  and  having  been 
under  no  obligations  to  ye  people  who  consequently 
have  no  reason  to  complain  that  I  now  decline  it ; 
which  yet  I  should  not  do  without  some  prospect  of 
their  being  better  provided  for  in  ye  manner  I  have 

proposed , 

I  am  with  great  respect  Kev'd  Sir  &c. 

T.  B.  CHANDLER." 


The  following  extract  bears  date 


"Elizabeth  Town,  July  5th,  1762. 

Reverend  Sir 

As  to  Roman  Catholics,  we  have  none  in 


this  Province.  The  Chief  Enemies  of  ye  Church  are 
ye  English  Dissenters  of  different  denominations  who 
are  thrice  as  numerous  as  its  Professors  and  more 
active  against  us  than  our  friends  are  for  us.  Of  their 
open  opposition  indeed  for  some  years  past  we  have 
no  great  reason  to  complain ;  but  the  secret  arts 
whereby  they  are  endeavouring  to  undermine  ye  prin- 
ciples of  ye  Church  amidst  ye  fairest  professions  of 
Friendship,  and  perhaps  many  of  them  without  a  con- 
sciousness of  any  bad  intentions  unless  we  are  well 
guarded  may  be  of  infinitely  worse  consequences  than 
any  open  attacks. 


88  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

In  order  to  prevent  this  evil,  it  would  be  of  great 
use  to  distribute  or  at  least  to  circulate  some  tract 
upon  ye  nature  and  constitution  of  ye  Christian 
Church — ye  necessity  of  authority  derived  from  Christ 
in  ye  Ministers  of  it — ye  nature  and  guilt  of  Schism 
&c.  These  points  have  been  well  handled  by  many  of 
our  writers ;  but  I  could  wish  to  see  them  brought 
together  in  a  moderate  compass  and  treated  in  a 
manner  that  is  very  plain  and  pathetic.  I  know  of  no 
piece  at  present  which  is  executed  altogether  on  this 
plan.  The  Englishman  directed  &c.  is  a  good  thing  a 
few  copies  of  which  would  be  very  useful  in  my 
Mission.  It  is  undoubtedly  ye  duty  of  ye  Clergy  to 
instruct  their  hearers  in  all  necessary  and  needful 
Truths.  But  to  dwell  much  on  ye  foregoing  subjects 
in  ye  Pulpit  might  have  had  a  bad  effect  upon  some 
and  not  so  good  an  effect  upon  others  as  a  well  written 
Tract  on  ye  same  subjects  which  they  can  examine  at 
leisure  and  of  which  they  can  attend  to  the  force  of 
every  argument  besides  many  of  our  own  people  are 
always  absent  from  Church  and  some  others  would  be 
willing  to  read  a  Pamphlet  or  small  Book  who  never 

vouchsafe  to  attend  our  service  at  all . 

Rev'd  Sir  &c. 

T.  B.  CHANDLER." 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  Charter  obtained  in 
July  n62,  preserved  in  the  records  of  the  Yestry,  and 
still  governing  the  Church.     Dr.  Kudd  in  his  Sketches 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S   CHURCH.  89 

says,  it  was  coufirmed  by  the  Legislature  after  the 
Revolutionary  war.  The  acts  of  the  vestry  have  been 
recorded  in  the  same  book  from  1762  to  the  present 
time. 

Charter. 

George  the   Third  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great 
Brittain  France  and  Ireland,  King  Defender  of  the 
Faith  &c.  To  All  Persons  to  whom  these  Presents 
shall  come  Greeting :  Whereas  our  Loving  Subjects 
the  Reverend  Thomas  Bradbury  Chandler  and  John 
Halstead,  Jacob  DeHart  Henry  Garthwait,  Jonathan 
Hampton,  Amos  Morss,  Ephraim  Terrill  Matthais 
Williamson,  John  DeHart,  John  Ogden,  Cavalier 
Jouet  and  John  Chetwood  Members  of  the  Church 
of  England  at  Elizabeth  Town  in  New  Jersey  in 
Behalf  of  themselves  and  the  rest  of  the  members  of 
the  said  Church  by  their  humble  Petition  presented 
to  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  Josiah  Hardy  Es- 
quire Captain  General  and  Governor  in  Chief  of 
our   said    Province   of    New   Jersey   have  humbly 
prayed  for  our   Royal   Grant  by  Letters   Patent 
under  our  Great  Seal  of  our  said  Province  to  incor- 
porate them  into  a  Body  Corporate  and  Politick 
with   perpetual   succession    by    the    name    of   the 
Rector,  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  of  St.  John's 
Church  in  Elizabeth  Town  while  there  shall  be  a 
rector  of  said  Church  Resident  at  Elizabeth  Town 
and  in  case  of  a  vacancy  of  a  Rector  Then  during 

8* 


90  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

such  Vacancy,  by  the  name  of  the  Church  Wardens 
and  Yestry  of  St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town 
with  such  Powers,  Privileges,  Libertys  and  Immuni- 
ties as  are  necessary  for  the  well  ordering  and  regu- 
lating the  affairs  of  the  said  Church.  And  we  being 
willing  to  grant  the  reasonable  Request  of  the  said 
Petitioners  in  that  Behalf, 

Now  know  ye  That  we  of  our  Especial  Grace 
Certain  Knowledge  and  Meere  Motion  Have  given 
granted  constituted,  appointed  ratifyed  and  con- 
firmed And  by  these  Presents  for  us  and  our  suc- 
cessors Do  give  grant  constitute  appoint  ratify  and 
confirm  unto  the  said  Thomas  Bradbury  Chandler 
John  Halsted  Jacob  DeHart  Henry  Garthwait  Jona- 
than Hampton,  Amos  Morss  Ephraim  Terrill  Mat- 
thais  Williamson  John  DeHart  John  Ogden  Cava- 
lier Jouet  and  John  Chetwood  and  the  rest  of  the 
members  of  the  said  Church  and  their  successors 
forever  That  they  now  are  and  from  henceforth 
shall  be  one  body  Corporate  and  Politick  in 
Name  Deed  and  in  Fact  at  all  times  hereafter  to  be 
known  and  Distinguished  by  the  name  of  the  Rector 
Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  of  St.  John's  Church 
in  Elizabeth  Town  except  when  there  shall  be  a 
vacancy  of  a  Rector  of  said  Church  and  then  during 
such  vacancy  by  the  name  of  the  Church  Wardens 
and  Yestry  of  St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town 
which  body  Corporate  and  Politick  shall  consist  of 
one  Clergyman  a  Presbyter  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  91 

land  now  as  by  Law  established  daely  qualified  for 
the  Cure  of  souls  Two  Church  Wardens  and  Nine 
Yestrymen  Members  of  the  said  Church.     The  said 
Church  Wardens   and  Yestrymen  hereafter  to   be 
elected  and  Chosen  annually  at  said  Church  by  the 
Plurality  of  Yoices  of  the  Members  of  the   said 
Church  who  shall  be  present  on  Monday  in  Easter 
week  Which  said  Church  Wardens  and  Yestrymen 
shall   have    a    perpetual   Succession   and  the  like 
Power  and  Authority  to  act  and  perform  all  Things 
relating  to  their  offices   as    Church  Wardens  and 
Yestrymen  in  England  Do  act  and  Perform  there. 
And  upon  any  vacancy  of  a  Rector  of  said  Church 
Misbehaviour,  Non-residence  in  the  said  Town  or 
neglect  of  his  Duty,  Do  give  grant,  ratify  and  con- 
firm unto  the  Church  Wardens  and  Yestrymen  of 
St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town  and  to  their 
successors    to    be   hereafter   annually   elected   and 
chosen    as    aforesaid  from   henceforth   forever  the 
nomination  and  appointment  of  a  Presbyter  of  the 
Church  of  England  as  now  by  Law  established  (but 
of  none  other)  to  be  the  Rector  of  said  St.  John's 
Church  in  Elizabeth  Town  which  Right  of  Nomina- 
tion and  appointment  of  such  a  Rector  so  Qualifyed 
to  serve  the  Cure  of  the  said  Church  shall  forever 
to  them  belong  and  Appertain  or  to  the  Major  part 
of  them.     And  we  do  give  ratify  and  confirm  unto 
the  said  body  Corporate  and  Politick  that  by  one 
or  either  of  the  names  aforesaid  as  the  said  body 


92  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Corporate  shall  then  happen  to  be  circumstanced 
shall  be  able  and  in  Law  capable  to  sue  and  be  sued 
plead  and  be  impleaded,  appear  and  be  answered, 
defend  and  be  Defended  in  all  and  singular  Suits, 
Actions,  Controversies  and  all  other  things  of  what 
nature  or  kind  soever  in  all  or  any  of  our  Courts  of 
Judicature  Law  and  Equity  as  also  by  one  of  the 
names  aforesaid  as  the  said  Body  Corporate  shall 
then  happen  to  be  circumstanced  to  ask,  demand 
take  Possess  receive  hold  possess  in  fee  simple  enjoy 
Purchase  and  acquire  Lands  Tenements,  Heredite- 
ments  Goods  and  Chatties  and  them  or  any  of  them 
to  use  let  set  grant  demise  Bargain  or  sell  not  ex- 
ceeding the  yearly  value  of  Five  Hundred  Pounds 
Lawful  money  of  England  Yearly  Income.  Pro- 
vided Always  Notwithstanding  the  Power  and 
Authority  herein  before  given  and  granted  to  the 
Rector  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry  or  all  or  any  of 
them.  Nothing  in  these  Presents  is  meant  or  in- 
tended to  authorize  or  impower  all  or  any  of  them 
to  Bargain,  sell  Dispose,  change  or  alter  any  Lands 
Tenements  Goods  or  Chatties  given  or  granted  to 
the  said  body  Corporate  from  the  use  End  or  Pur- 
pose for  which  the  Donation  was  made  given  or 
granted  contrary  to  the  true  Intent  and  meaning  of 
the  Donor  or  Donors  ;  But  that  all  such  Alienations 
and  Misapplications  shall  be  Yoid  and  of  none 
Effect  and  that  the  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and 
Yestrymen  that  shall  hereafter  make  such  Alienation 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOIIN'S  CHURCH.  93 

or  Missapplication  of  such  Donations  contrary  to 
the  true  Intent  and  meaning  of  the  Donor  or  Donors. 
They  and  every  of  them  and  every  of  their  Heirs 
Executors  and  Administrators  shall  be  accountable 
for  and  Liable  to  make  satisfaction  for  the  same  to 
the  succeeding  Church  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of 
the  said  Church. 

And  we  do  hereby  give  grant  ratify  and  confirm 
unto  the  said  Body  Corporate  and  Politick  and 
to  their  successors  forever  that  it  shall  and  may  be 
Lawful  for  them  to  make  or  cause  to  have  made 
have  and  use  a  Common  Seal  and  the  same  to  alter 
break  or  new  make  at  their  Discretion.     And  that 
it   shall   and  may  be  Lawful  to   and  for  the   said 
Church  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  so  often  as  shall 
be  thought  needful  for  the  ordering  and  disposing 
the  affairs  of  their  said  Church  and  Corporation  to 
assemble  and  meet  together  being  thereunto  called 
by  the  Hector  and  one  of  the  Church  Wardens  or 
by  one  of  the  Church  Wardens  and  two  of  the  Ves- 
trymen or  by  one  of  the  Vestrymen  and  that  the 
Major  Number  of  them  the  Rector  Church  Wardens 
and  Vestrymen  for  the  time  being  while  there  is  a 
Rector  or  in  case  of  a  vacancy  of  a  Rector  the 
Major  Number  of  the  Church  Wardens  and  Vestry- 
men  shall   make   a   Vestry  which   Vestry  so   met 
shall  have  full   Power  and  Authority  at   all  times 
hereafter  to  make  ordain  and  Constitute  such  Rules 
and  Ordinances  for  the  good  order  and  Regulation 


94  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

of  the  said  Church  or  Corporation  as  they  or 
the  Major  Part  of  them  Present  shall  think  fitt 
which  shall  be  entered  in  a  Book  or  Register 
kept  for  that  purpose  and  be  as  good  valid  and 
effectual  as  if  made  or  consented  to  by  every  Indi- 
vidual of  the  whole  Body. 

And  we  do  give  and  grant  unto  the  said  Yestry 
of  St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town  Power  and 
Authority  to  nominate  choose  and  appoint  such 
Person  and  Persons  as  to  them  shall  be  thought 
meet  and  convenient  to  be  Clerk  Sexton  and  other 
officers  of  the  said  Church  and  to  admit  accept  and 
receive  such  and  so  many  People  as  they  shall  think 
fitt  to  be  members  of  the  said  Church  and  Corpora- 
tion. And  we  Do  further  by  these  Presents  nomi- 
nate constitute  and  appoint  the  aforesaid  Thomas 
Bradbury  Chandler  to  be  the  first  and  Present 
Rector  of  the  said  Church  and  the  aforesaid  John 
Halsted  and  Jacob  DeHart  to  be  the  first  and 
Present  Church  Wardens  of  the  said  Church  and 
Henry  Garthwait,  Jonathan  Hampton  Amos  Morss 
Ephraim  Terrill  Matthias  Williamson  John  DeHart, 
John  Ogden,  Cavalier  Jouet  and  John  Chetwood  to 
be  the  first  and  Present  Yestrymen  of  said  Church 
which  Church  Wardens  and  Yestrymen  are  to  Con- 
tinue in  the  said  several  ofiQces  respectively  untill  the 
time  appointed  for  the  Annual  Election  of  Church 
Wardens  and  Yestrymen.  And  further  our  will 
and  pleasure  is  And  we  do  for  us  our  Heirs  and 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  95 

Successors  ordain  and  grant  that  if  it  shall  happen 
that  any  of  the  said  Church  Wardens  and  Yestrymen 
nominated  and  appointed  as  aforesaid  shall  Dye  or 
be  removed  before  the  said  Yearly  Day  of  Election, 
That  then  and  in  every  such  case  it  shall  and  may  be 
Lawfull  for  the  Members  of  the  said  Church  to  pro- 
ceed to  a  new  Election  of  one  or  more  of  their 
Members  in  the  Room  or  Place  of  such  officer  or 
officers  so  dying  or  removing  according  to  their 
Discretion. 

To  Have  and  to  Hold  all  and  singular  the 
Liberties  Priviledges  Franchizes,  Immunities  and 
all  other  the  Premises  herein  and  hereby  given  and 
granted  unto  the  said  Rector  Church  Wardens  and 
Yestrymen  of  St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town 
and  to  their  successors  forever.  Yielding  and 
Paying  therefor  yearly  and  every  year  forever  here- 
after unto  us  our  Heirs  and  Successors  at  the 
Church  in  said  Town  on  Easter  Monday  one  Pepper 
Corn  if  the  same  be  Legally  Demanded. 

In  Testimony  Whereof  we  have  caused  these 
our  letters  to  be  made  Patent  and  the  great  Seal  of 
our  said  Province  of  New  Jersev  to  be  hereunto 
affixed. 

Witness  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  Josiah 
Hardy  Esquire  our  Captain  Generall  and  Governor 
Commander  in  Chief  in  and  over  our  said  Province 
of  Xew  Jersey  this  Twentieth  day  of  July  in  the 


96  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Second  Year  of  our  Reign  and  in  the  Year  of  our 
Lord  one  Thousand  seven  Hundred  and  sixty  two. 

READ. 

The  following  letter,  though  not  relating  to  the 
history  of  St.  John's  Church,  is  inserted  to  show  the 
progress  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  Province 
nearly  a  hundred  years  ago. 

"  Mr.  Charlton  and  others  to  the  Secretary 

Perth  Ambot  New  Jeesey  Dec.  6th  1762. 
Rev'd  Sir  : 

The  Clergy  of  this  Province  together  with  the 
Rev'd  Mr.  Charlton  of  New  York  having  occasionally 
met  together  in  Amboy  beg  leave  to  address  the  Vene- 
rable Society  and  to  represent  several  particulars  which 
are  apprehended  to  be  of  some  importance  to  the 
Church  in  this  Province. 

As  the  small  congregation  of  Piscataqua  have  within 
a  few  years  been  at  the  expence  of  building  a  new 
Church  and  appear  to  be  willing  to  contribute  to  the 
support  of  a  Minister  in  proportion  to  their  abilities, 
they  have  repeatedly  desired  us  to  request  of  the 
Society  that  some  neighbouring  Missionary  might  be 
requested  to  take  them  under  his  care.  Of  this  we 
gave  an  account  in  one  of  our  former  addresses  and 
desired  the  Rev'd  Mr.  McKean  to  oSiciate  among 
them  as  often  as  he  could  until  the  Society's  Pleasure 
should  be  known  ;  with  which  advice  he  has  been  so 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  97 

good  as  to  comply  and  as  we  still  judge  them  worthy 
of  the  favour  they  request  we  take  this  opportunity 
again  to  recommend  them  to  the  Society  and  also  to 
transmit  a  copy  of  their  last  application  to  us. 

While  we  were  lately  together  at  Burlington  appli- 
cation was  also  made  to  us  in  behalf  of  a  large  body  of 
people  living  in  Mountholly  who  profess  themselves 
Members  of  the  Church  of  England  and  have  been 
under  the  care  of  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Campbell.  They 
represent  that  such  services  as  Mr.  Campbell  is  able  to 
do  therein  consistent  with  his  duty  to  the  other  parts 
of  his  Mission  are  inadequate  to  their  wants.  They 
set  forth  their  spiritual  necessities  in  the  most  earnest 
and  moving  manner  and  beg  us  for  Christ's  sake  to 
make  known  their  case  to  the  Honorable  Society.  As 
nothing  less  seems  to  be  sufficient  than  a  new  Mission- 
ary in  that  quarter  we  informed  them  what  qualifica- 
tions would  be  expected  by  the  Society  previous  to 
such  a  request  and  promised  that  when  they  should  be 
thus  qualified  we  would  recommend  them  as  they  de- 
sired of  which  in  the  mean  time  we  think  it  our  duty 
to  inform  the  Society. 

The  good  people  of  Trenton  having  desired  us  to 
join  with  them  in  requesting  a  Missionary  as  we 
found  them  willing  to  exert  themselves  in  contributing 
towards  his  support  and  to  give  proper  security  for 
their  so  doing  we  approved  of  their  request  and  had 
determined  to  recommend  them,  but  in  the  mean  time 
we  had  the  pleasure  to  hear  of  the  appointment  of  Mr. 
9 


98  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Tread  well  to  that  Mission,  a  young  gentleman  of  a 
very  amiable  character  whose  arrival  we  still  im- 
patiently expect  as  we  understand  it  is  more  than 
three  months  since  his  embarkation."  *  *  *  * 

"  These  are  the  several  particulars  we  thought  need- 
ful to  mention.  As  we  have  no  Ecclesiastical  Super- 
intendent here  we  endeavour  to  give  all  the  attention 
to  the  affairs  of  the  Church  in  this  Province  in  general 
which  our  obligations  to  particular  Missions  will  admit 
of,  in  which  we  hope  we  shall  have  the  honor  to  meet 
with  the  Yenerable  Society's  approbation.  We  beg 
leave  to  subscribe  ourselves  most  dutifully  their  and 
very  respectfully  Rev'd  Sir  &c. 

RICHD.  CHARLTON    ISAAC  BROWNE 
•  COLIN  CAMPBELL       SAML.  COOK 

T.  B.  CHANDLER        ROBT.  McKEAN." 

In  a  letter  from  Mr.  Campbell  to  the  Secretary 
dated  Burlington  June  25th  n63  he  says,  "We  hear 
with  joy  that  amongst  other  blessings  on  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  late  peace  that  God  hath  put  it  into  the 
hearts  of  his  Majesty  and  those  in  authority  under  him 
to  see  the  expediency  of  appointing  a  Bishop  for  the 
superintending  of  the  Churches  and  Clergy  of  the 
Episcopal  Churches  here." 

The  abstract  of  the  published  records  of  the  Society 
for  Propagating  the  Gospel  mention  that  Mr.  Chandler 
writes  January  24th  1T63  ;  "  That  the  vestry  of  Eliza- 
beth   Town   have   passed    a  vote   for   enlarging   the 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  99 

Church,  and  that  he  had  baptized  in  the  preceding- 
half  year  IT  infants,  one  of  which  was  a  Black  and 
had  had  3  new  Communicants."  Dr.  Rudd  refers  to 
this  resolution  in  his  Sketches,  and  says;  ''But  it  does 
not  appear  that  any  effort  was  made  for  accomplishing 
the  object,  and  we  hear  nothing  more  on  the  subject 
until  the  year  1774  when  instead  of  enlarging  it  was 
determined  to  build  a  new  Church.  The  foundation 
of  a  building,  85  feet  in  length  by  50  in  breadth,  was 
laid  around  the  present  building.  The  materials  for 
the  building  were  collected,  and  money  raised  to  de- 
fray the  expense.  The  troubles  of  the  Revolution 
were  in  a  few  months  so  great  as  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
work.  During  that  long  and  agitating  period,  most 
unfortunate  to  the  immediate,  if  not  ultimate  pros- 
perity of  the  Church,  all  the  money  was  spent  in  other 
ways,  the  materials  were  either  removed  or  destroyed, 
and  no  vestige  of  this  pious  work  remained  but  a  part 
of  the  foundation,  just  even  with  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  traces  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen." 

Mr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Secretary  (Extract)  from 

"Elizabeth  Town,  Jan'y  5tli,  1764. 
Rev'd  Sir  : 

The  whole  number  of  Communicants  in  this  place 

altho'  it  sometimes  has  been  upwards  of  90  at  present 

is  reduced  by  deaths  and  removals  to  about  75,  of  these 

we  have  seldom  more  than  50  together  at  a  time  which 

is  owing  to  their  dispersed  situation.     I  still  find  it 


100         THE  CHURCH  TN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

extremely  difficult  to  remove  the  unreasonable  prejudice 
which  prevents  men's  obedience  to  this  divine  Ordi- 
nance which  I  believe  is  also  the  case  of  many  of  ye 
Clergy  as  they  generally  prevail  throughout  ye  Ame- 
rican Colonies,  altho'  not  equally  in  all  places. 

Rev'd  Sir  &c., 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  101 


CHAPTER  Y. 

1764 — "Whitfield  revisits  Elizabeth  Town — Mr.  Chandler  refuses  him 
the  use  of  his  pulpit — Reasons  therefor — Desires  to  avoid  contro- 
versy in  the  pulpit — Diligence  and  popularity  of  the  Dissenting 
Clergyman  at  Elizabeth  Town — Zeal  of  his  people — Some  account 
of  the  condition  of  St.  John's  Church — Addition  to  the  parsonage 
house — Allusions  to  Mr.  Whitfield  and  to  the  Clergy  of  Philadel- 
phia— Efi'orts  to  obtain  a  Bishop  for  the  American  Colonies — House 
purchased  for  an  Episcopal  Residence — Discontent  in  consequence 
of  acts  of  the  British  Parliament — Sensible  remarks  upon  their 
probable  effect — Dr.  Chandler  receives  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Ox- 
ford— Letter  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London — Refers  to  need  of  a 
Bishop — Anxiety  on  the  subject. 

The  Kev.  George  Whitfield  who  was  in  Elizabeth 
Town  in  the  year  1740  revisits  the  place  twenty-four 
years  after,  as  appears  from  an  extract  from  one  of  Mr. 
Chandler's  letters  bearing  date, 

"  Elizabeth  Town  July  5tli  1764. 
Keverend  Sir  : 

Some  things  have  lately  happened  in  my  Mission 

of  which  I  think  it  my  duty  to  inform  the  Society.     My 

Tranquility  which   never  before  was  interrupted  was 

somewhat  disturbed  in  ye  Winter  past  by  reason  of  my 

refusing  my  pulpit  to  Mr.  Whitfield,  who  signified  his 

9* 


102         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

desire  of  preaching  in  my  Church.  This  unluckily  was 
at  a  time  when  no  Clergyman  had  yet  refused  him  since 
his  last  coming  into  the  country  and  after  his  having 
had  ye  free  use  of  ye  Churches  in  Philadelphia,  which 
last  consideration  was  what  led  my  people  to  expect 
and  desire  that  I  should  receive  him  into  mine.  But 
knowing  ye  very  exceptionable  point  of  light  in  which 
he  formerly  stood  with  my  superiors  at  home  thro'  his 
undutiful  and  schismatical  behaviour  and  having  no  evi- 
dence of  his  reformation  in  those  respects  much  less  of 
his  having  made  any  due  submission  to  the  Governor  of 
ye  Church  and  obtained  ye  Bishop  of  London's  Licence, 
I  could  not  think  ye  example  of  ye  Clergy  in  Philadel- 
phia sufficient  to  justify  a  conduct  in  my  opinion  so 
absurd  or  so  inconsistent  with  ye  Rules  of  our  Eccle- 
siastical Policy.  These  reasons  I  offered  but  a  great 
part  of  my  people  remained  unsatisfied  and  appeared 
to  be  much  offended  at  my  incompliance.  I  was  not 
without  some  degree  of  anxiety  about  the  event  of  it ; 
but  ye  tumult  has  gradually  subsided  and  matters  have 
for  some  time  returned  to  their  former  level  excepting 
that  two  or  three  persons  of  no  consequence  have  left 
ye  Church. 

However  whether  this  has  been  altogether  owing  to 
the  above  refusal  or  to  another  cause  I  cannot  pointedly 
say ;  yet  I  suspect  ye  latter  viz :  that  they  have  been 
seduced  by  ye  arts  of  the  Dissenters  who  are  at  this 
time  in  this  part  of  the  world  using  all  their  dexterity 
and  address  to  gain  proselytes  from  ye  Church. 


niSTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  103 

It  is  a  great  hardship  upou  ye  Church  in  these  Colo- 
nies that  its  friends  must  act  only  on  the  defensive,  ye 
times  being  such  as  to  render  it  imprudent  and  unsafe 
to  venture  into  ye  Territories  of  its  Enemies.  If  ye 
Clergy  say  a  word  even  to  their  own  people  concerning 
ye  unity  of  Christ's  body,  ye  nature  of  schism  or  ye  ne- 
cessity of  authority  derived  from  Christ  in  ye  Ministers 
of  his  religion  ye  alarm  is  immediately  sounded,  we  are 
stigmatized  as  factions  and  not  only  so  but  ye  Yen'ble 
Society  is  abused  on  our  account.  If  we  are  altogether 
silent  on  these  heads  our  own  people  grow  indifferent 
and  in  time  may  think  it  immaterial  whether  they  are 
in  communion  with  ye  Church  or  join  with  a  conventi- 
cle. This  I  fear  is  beginning  to  be  ye  case  of  my  own 
congregation  in  particular.  I  have  always  made  it  a 
Rule  to  preach  chiefly  on  practical  subjects  and  to 
bring  as  little  as  possible  of  controversy  into  ye  Pulpit. 
I  have  always  lived  upon  good  terms  with  my  Dissent- 
ing Neighbours  and  with  some  of  them  I  have  cultivated 
a  considerable  degree  of  Friendship.  This  has  been 
my  manner  for  some  13  years  that  I  have  been  in  this 
Mission  in  consequence  of  which  while  I  have  been 
generally  esteemed  by  my  own  congregation  I  have  had 
no  ill  report  amongst  them  and  this  I  take  to  be  much 
the  case  even  at  present.  But  while  they  have  no  ob- 
jections to  my  private  character  and  behaviour  and 
many  of  them  pretend  to  esteem  it  I  know  that  I  am 
maligned  as  a  Clergyman  of  ye  Church — and  with  the 
fairest  pretences  to  Catholicism  and  moderation  and 


104         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

respect  for  ye  Church  to  prove  ye  sincerity  of  which 
they  will  occasionally  attend  upon  our  service,  they  are 
perpetually  aiming  to  bring  it  into  disrepute  ;  in  order 
whereto  misrepresentations  and  scurvy  insinuations  are 
sometimes  found  to  be  of  excellent  service. 

The  Dissenting  Teacher  of  this  place  is  a  man  of 
some  parts  and  of  a  popular  address  and  has  ye  appear- 
ance of  great  Zeal  and  Piety.  He  preaches  frequently 
thrice  on  Sundays  gives  an  Evening  Lecture  every 
Thursday  in  the  Meeting-house  besides  praying  and 
exhorting  from  house  to  house,  many  of  my  people  of 
course  fall  in  with  his  Evening  lectures,  and  it  is  na- 
tural to  suppose  that  some  of  them  are  captivated  with 
ye  appearance  of  so  much  Zeal  and  Piety.  At  ye  same 
time  ye  Dissenters  almost  to  a  man  are  watching  every 
opportunity  to  promote  ye  cause  and  not  so  much  as  a 
negro  can  fall  in  their  way  but  some  of  them  will  try  to 
proselyte  him  and  they  are  now  provided  with  a  very 
strong  argument  for  that  purpose  taken  from  those 
sudden  and  instantaneous  conversions  which  within  6 
months  have  frequently  happened  in  this  and  ye  adja- 
cent Towns  amongst  ye  Dissenters  whereas  there  have 
been  none  in  ye  Church. 

In  this  situation  I  think  it  almost  impossible  but 
some  impressions  must  be  made  upon  ye  weaker  part 
of  my  congregation  unless  methods  can  be  taken  to 
counteract  them  and  what  methods  are  left  to  be  taken 
I  find  it  very  difficult  to  determine,  directly  to  attack 
these  notions  would  probably  in  our  present  circum- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  105 

stances  produce  more  mischief  than  service  and  to  do 
it  obliquely  will  hardly  be  effectual.  To  say  anything 
even  against  this  kind  of  conversion,  whose  conversion 
is  known  to  be  so  greatly  needed  would  be  shocking  to 
ye  multitude  ;  and  yet  to  say  much  in  favour  of  them 
is  to  contradict  both  reason  and  experience.  If  ye 
Clergy  are  governed  altogether  by  a  Principle  of  giv- 
ing no  offence  perhaps  it  is  most  agreeable  to  worldly 
prudence ;  yet  to  act  with  spirit  in  ye  defence  as  well 
as  cultivation  of  our  Lord's  Vineyard  seems  most  con- 
sistent with  our  Christian  duty.  Extremely  happy 
should  I  think  myself  in  this  case  as  well  as  in  many 
other  difficulties  which  frequently  arise,  was  there  a 
Bishop  in  these  parts  to  whom  I  could  apply  for  advice 
and  direction!  But  if  this  is  still  judged  to  be  too 
great  a  happiness  for  ye  Church  in  America  so  long 
persecuted  by  its  enemies  and  deserted  by  many  of  its 
pretended  friends  we  must  submit.  I  hope  ye  Clergy 
will  continue  in  the  regular  discharge  of  their  duty  with 
as  much  prudence  and  Patience  as  possible  and  leave 
ye  event  to  providence. 

Reverend  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 

Mr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Secretary  (Extract)  from 
"Elizabeth  Town  Feb'y  12tli  1765. 

Reverend  Sir, 

1  was  in  hopes  that  by  this  time  I  sliould  have 

been  able  to  tell  of  ye  flourishing  state  of  my  Mission, 


106         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

but  that  is  a  pleasure  of  which  I  am  still  deprived,  and 
yet  I  cannot  say  that  it  greatly  declines  or  that  I  am 
much  discouraged.  Altho'  some  few  persons,  none  of 
whom  are  of  any  influence  have  been  seduced  from  ye 
Church  in  ye  year  past,  by  those  acts  mentioned  in  my 
Letter  of  July  5th,  and  notwithstanding  that  several 
Families  of  my  Congregation  have  moved  to  other  parts 
of  the  Province  I  have  still  under  my  care  9t  Families 
who  profess  themselves  of  ye  Church  and  whom  I  believe 
in  general  to  be  as  good  Christians  as  their  Neighbours 

"whatever  may  be  pretended 

Reverend  Sir 

Your  very  respectful  and  obedient  serv't 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 

The  following  extract  from  one  of  Mr.  Chandler's 
letters  to  the  Secretary  contains  information  of  peculiar 
Interest.  The  addition  to  the  Parsonage  House  to 
which  he  alludes,  still  stands  forming  a  wing  to  the 
present  building,  and  one  of  the  rooms  retains  its  ori- 
ginal form  and  somewhat  of  its  original  appearance. 

"  Elizabeth  Town  July  5th  1765. 
Reverend  Sir, 

The  state  of  my  own  Mission  has  of  late, 

altered  considerably  for  ye  better  ;  and  those  disagree- 
able prospects  I  formerly  mentioned  are  at  present 
changed  for  a  more  pleasing  appearance.  My  Church 
was   never  more  crowded  than  it  has   been  for  some 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  lOt 

months  past ;  and  I  have  upwards  of  50  Catechumens 
whom  I  regularly  attend  every  Sunday.  As  a  proof 
of  ye  good  temper  to  which  my  People  have  returned, 
and  are  returning  they  have  lately  rais'd  a  Subscription 
for  enlarging  the  Parsonage  House,  in  which  they  have 
been  as  generous  as  I  could  well  desire  considering  their 
abilities.  Since  the  5th  of  Jan'y  last  I  have  baptized 
It  Infants,  but  I  have  had  only  one  new  Communicant. 
I  can  recollect  no  other  particulars  needful  to  trouble 
you  with  at  present,  excepting  that  I  have  this  day 
drawn  for  ray  last  half  years  salary,  which  Bill  I  hope 
ye  Society's  Treasurer  will  honor. 

I  have  this  moment  had  ye  pleasure  of  receiving  your 
Favor  of  Feb'y  28th  forwarded  by  Dr.  Smith  of  Phila- 
delphia. I  think  myself  extremely  happy  in  ye  So- 
ciety's and  your  approbation  of  my  conduct  in  a  late 
difficulty  ;  which  as  in  all  cases,  it  will  be  my  constant 
endeavour  to  deserve,  so  it  will  be  one  of  ye  greatest 
pleasures  of  my  life  to  obtain.  It  has  been  and  by  ye 
Grace  of  God  ever  shall  be  my  aim  to  discharge  the 
various  duties  of  my  station,  as  with  steadiness  and 
firmness  on  ye  one  hand,  so  with  prudence  and  temper 
on  ye  other.  I  am  liable  to  mistake  thro'  defect  of 
judgment  but  I  trust  I  never  shall  err  greatly  from 
badness  of  principle  or  disposition.  The  duties  of  a 
Clergyman  cannot  be  duly  discharged  in  any  Country 
without  vigilance,  care  and  prudence;  and  the  Society 
need  not  be  informed  that  these  things  arc  peculiarly 
necessary  to  their  Missionaries  in  this — where  with  re- 


108         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

gard  to  ye  Church  and  ye  Clergy  ye  Laws  are  neither 
favorable,  nor  explicit  rights  are  not  defined,  ye  gene- 
ral disposition  of  ye  people  not  friendly,  and  where  we 
have  no  superiors  near  to  direct  us  in  difficult  and 
doubtful  cases. 

The  favorable  construction  you  put  upon  the  con- 
duct of  my  Brethren  in  Philadelphia  is  a  proof  of  that 
candor  and  tenderness  with  which  ye  behaviour  of  ye 
American  Clejgy  in  general  is  considered  by  our  supe- 
riors at  home.  Nor  did  I  mean  to  accuse  them  of 
more  than  a  mistake  of  judgment  and  if  I  expressed 
myself  with  some  warmth  in  my  Letter,  it  was  because 
I  was  then  smarting  under  ye  ill  effects  of  their  com- 
pliances. Those  compliances  I  cannot  still  but  think 
were  ill  judged  and  that  all  Mr.  Whitfield's  bitterness 
and  rage  against  ye  Church  would  have  availed  but 
little,  had  he  been  able  only  to  attack  it  openly  and 
from  without.  But  what  gives  him  an  opportunity  of 
really  hunting  ye  Church,  is  his  pretended  friendship 
for  her,  his  wearing  ye  Garb  of  her  Children,  his 
frequently  quoting  our  excellent  Liturgy,  Articles, 
Homilies  &c.,  with  solemn  declarations  of  his  esteem 
and  admiration.  I  will  say  no  more  of  him  as  he  has 
at  length  left  us ;  but  my  greatest  fear  is  that  he  will 
soon  begin  to  hanker  after  his  dear  America,  few 
people  choosing  to  continue  long  in  a  state  of  Insig- 
nificance, when  they  have  it  in  their  power  to  aj3pear 
with  more  than  Apostolic  importance. 

It   is   no   secret   at  home  that  ye   people  in  this 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  109 

country  are  greatly  dissatisfied  with  some  late  proceed- 
ings of  ye  British  Parliament.  How  such  a  general 
discontent  may  operate  is  impossible  to  foresee  :  how- 
ever I  do  not  apprehend  any  considerable  effects  from 
it  in  this  Province.  But  should  the  worst  happen  I 
think  I  can  answer  for  my  Brethren,  at  least  I  can 
promise  for  myself,  that  I  will  exert  myself  to  the 
utmost  to  allay  the  ferment  and  to  promote  a  peace- 
able submission   to  ye  Higher  Powers  not  only  for 

wrath,  but  for  conscience  sake 

I  am  Reverend  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 

EFFORTS   TO   OBTAIN  A  BISHOP   FOR   THi:  AMERICAN 
COLONIES. 

The  importance  of  the  appointment  of  a  Bishop  for 
America  was  most  deeply  felt  by  the  Colonial  Church 
for  generations  before  its  ardent  desire  was  fulfilled. 
The  most  earnest  representations  had  been  made  to 
those  in  authority  in  England  of  the  wants  of  the  Pro- 
vinces in  respect  to  resident  Bishops  and  Mr.  Chandler 
was  deeply  interested  in  the  subject.  The  design  of 
this  Record  forbids  entering  at  length  upon  a  matter 
concerning  which  so  many  addresses  and  appeals  were 
sent  forth,  and  so  much  has  been  written.  The  Clergy 
of  New  Jersey  in  Convention  (under  date  Perth 
Amboy  Octr.  3d  1*765)  write  a  long  and  fervent  letter 
to  the  Secretary  in  reference  to  an  American  Epis- 
copate, in  which  they  mention,  that  at  an  early  date ; 
10 


110         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

"A  Standing  Committee  was  appointed  to  find  out 
ways  and  means  for  the  support  of  it,  and  a  place  was 
purchased  in  this  Province  at  a  great  expence  for  the 
Bishop's  Residence,  but  when  the  matter  was  in  a  fair 
way  of  being  speedily  accomplished  the  death  of  that 
excellent  Princess  alone  prevented  it."  This  address 
which  is  preserved  in  the  Lambeth  Manuscripts  eon- 
tains  much  that  is  valuable  and  interesting  and  is 
signed  by  Myles  Cooper  ''President  of  ye  Convention" 
Richard  Charlton,  Samuel  Seabury,  Isaac  Browne, 
Robt.  McKean,  Colin  Campbell,  Andw.  Morton,  Sam- 
uel Auchmuty,  Leo  Cutting,  Saml.  Cooke,  John  Ogil- 
vie,  Thos.  B.  Chandler. 

Mr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Secretary  (extract)  from 
"Elizabeth  Town  Jany.  15  1766. 

Reverend  Sir, 

The  duty  of  a  Missionary  in  this  Country  is 

now  become  more  difficult  than  ever.  It  is  hard  to 
dissemble  any  truths  or  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  and 
some  of  them  relating  to  Civil  Society  it  is  now 
become  dangerous  to  declare.  Such  an  universal 
spirit  of  clamour  and  discontent,  little  short  of  mad- 
ness and  such  an  opinion  of  oppression  prevails 
throughout  the  Colonies  as  I  believe  was  scarcely  ever 
seen  on  any  occasion  in  any  country  on  Earth.  And 
it  seems  to  be  the  determined  inflexible  resolution  of 
most  People  from  Halifax  to  Georgia,  never  to  submit 
to  what  they  esteem  so  great  an  infringement  of  their 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  Ill 

essential  rights  as  some  of  the  late  acts  of  the  British 
Parliament. 

Every  friend  therefore  to  the  Happiness  of  the 
Colonies  or  even  of  Great  Britain  who  is  acquainted 
with  the  case  as  it  really  is,  must  wish  that  the  Parlia- 
ment would  relax  of  its  severity ;  which  yet,  it  must  be 
confessed  is  no  easy  thing,  after  such  Provocations  as 
have  been  lately  oflfered  on  the  part  of  the  Colonies. 
But  good  policy  I  humbly  conceive  will  rather  put  up 
with  almost  anything  than  drive  matters  to  a  danger- 
ous extremity.  Most  probably  the  Parliament  are 
able  (altho'  most  people  here  pretend  not  to  believe 
that  they  are)  to  enforce  the  Stamp  Act ;  yet  should 
they  resolve  to  do  it,  a  disaffection  of  the  Colonies  of 
which  there  have  been  no  visible  symptoms  before,  will 
be  undoubtedly  established — the  government  must  be 
put  to  a  great  expence — and  the  commerce  of  the 
Colonies,  so  beneficial  to  England  heretofore,  will  sink, 
comparatively  to  a  mere  trifle.  Eor  none  will  dare 
import  anything  but  the  bare  necessaries  of  life ;  and 
upon  ye  examination  that  has  been  made,  it  has  been 
found  that  almost  every  real  want  can  be  supplied  from 
ourselves.  England  has  always  been  benefited  nearly 
in  proportion  to  the  wealth  and  commerce  of  her 
Colonies.  Whether  therefore  any  measures  that  tend 
to  lessen  that  wealth  and  commerce  can  finally  be  of 
service  to  Great  Britain  is  a  question  which  may  not 
be  unworthy  the  attention  even  of  those  who  are  the 
Guardians  of  her  Interests.     The  Parliament  has  un- 


112         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

cloubteclly  been  misinformed,  for  that  the  Colonies  in 
general  abound  in  Wealth  and  are  able  to  pay  any 
considerable  Tax  to  the  government  will  upon  proper 
enquiry  found  to  be  as  true  (and  indeed  the  assertion 
is  founded  on  the  same  testimony)  as  that  an  American 
Episcopate  would  be  utterly  disagreeable  to  more  than 
19-20ths  of  all  the  People  in  America.     However  we 

thank  Mr.  H k  that  he  did  not  insist  on  20-1 9ths 

which  he  might  have  done  with  equal  veracity. 

I  do  not  mean  by  what  I  have  said  to  excuse  the 
conduct  of  my  countrymen :  for  I  really  detest  it  and 
do  endeavour  to  traverse  and  counteract  it  to  the 
utmost  of  my  ability.  And  yet  this  apology  they  are 
intitled  to,  y't  the  government  has  not  taken  much 
pains  to  instruct  them  better.  If  ye  Interest  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  America  had  been  made  a 
National  concern  from  the  beginning,  by  this  time  a 
general  Submission  in  ye  Colonies  to  ye  Mother 
Country,  in  everything  not  sinful,  might  have  been 
expected,  not  only  for  wrath,  but  for  conscience  sake. 
And  who  can  be  certain  but  ye  present  rebellious  dis- 
position of  ye  Colonies  is  not  intended  by  providence 
as  a  punishment  for  that  neglect  ?  Indeed  many  wise 
and  good  persons  at  home  have  had  ye  cause  of 
Keligion  and  ye  Church  here  sincerely  at  heart,  and  ye 
Nation  whether  sensible  of  it  or  not  is  under  great 
obligations  to  that  very  worthy  Society,  who  by  their 
indefatigable  endeavours  to  propagate  the  Gospel  and 
assist  the  Church,  have  at  the  same  time  and  thereby 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  1 1  3 

secured  to  ye  State,  as  far  as  their  influence  could  be 
extended  ye  Loyalty  and  Fidelity  of  her  American 
children.  For  notwithstanding  ye  general  character, 
there  are  many  persons  among  us  governed  by  these 
principles,  which  so  far  as  my  observation  can  reach, 
are  owing  chiefly  if  not  altogether  to  ye  Instructions 
afforded  by  this  Yen'ble  Society.  That  ye  Govt,  may 
become  more  sensible  of  their  services  and  at  length 
co-operate  with  them,  as  it  appears  to  be  ye  most 
probable  means  of  restoring  the  mutual  happiness  of 
Great  Britain  and  her  Colonies  is  the  dayly  prayer  of 
Reverend  Sir, 

Your  very  obedient  humble  servant 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 

Dr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London 
from 

"  Elizabeth  Town  New  Jersey  July  10th  1766. 
My  Lord, 

I  have  lately  received  a  Diploma  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Oxford  for  a  Doctor's  Degree,  and  by  a 
letter  from  Dr.  Burton  Secretary  to  the  Society  for 
propagating  the  Gospel,  I  understand  that  I  am  in- 
debted to  your  Lordship  for  joining  in  a  recommenda- 
tion of  me  to  the  University.  I  trust  I  have  a  true 
sense  of  the  obligations  I  am  under  to  that  Illustrious 
body,  but  the  Honor  done  me  by  your  Lordship  and 
the  other  great  prelates  who  were  pleased  to  recom- 
mend me  I  esteem  to  be  much  greater  than  the  degree 

10* 


114         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

immediately  confers  and  I  will  make  it  the  business  of 
my  life  to  prove  as  far  as  possible  that  so  distinguish- 
ing a  favour  is  not  altogether  improperly  bestowed. 

I  have  been  favoured  with  a  sight  of  your  Lord- 
ship's kind  letter  of  March  10th  in  answer  to  an 
address  from  the  Clergy  of  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
on  the  subject  of  American  Bishops. 

It  gives  me  inexpressible  concern  as  it  must  give  to 
every  friend  of  the  Church  especially  to  those  who  are 
witnesses  of  its  suffering  state  in  America  to  find  that 
there  is  so  little  prospect  of  Relief  and  that  little,  so 
very  remote.  The  present  situation  of  affairs  appears 
to  be  unfavourable  to  sending  of  Bishops  to  America 
and  would  really  he  so  if  this  country  in  general  was 
as  greatly  disaffected  towards  it,  as  has  been  pretended 
by  some.  However  your  Lordship  will  be  pleased  to 
recollect  that  our  addresses  were  signed  before  the 
disturbances  which  have  so  universally  prevailed 
throughout  the  Colonies  and  if  we  had  been  able  to 
foresee  them  or  had  even  suspected  them,  we  should 
not  have  chosen  such  a  time  for  an  application  of  this 
nature.  I  can  declare  for  myself  and  I  believe  that 
I  express  the  sentiments  of  my  brethren  that  I  do  not 
wish  that  any  fresh  matter  of  contention  should  arise 
to  encrease  the  flame  which  we  have  of  late  so  sensibly 
felt.  But  notwithstanding  my  Lord,  I  humbly  appre- 
hend that  the  disposition  of  this  Country  has  been 
grossly  misrepresented  and  that  Bishops  might  be 
introduced  even  at  this  time  without  any  considerable 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  115 

opposition,  or  clamour.  The  Presbyterians  and  Inde- 
pendants  who  amount  to  not  one-half  of  the  Inhabi- 
tants in  the  North  American  Colonies,  are  the  only- 
people  who  would  be  disobliged  thereby;  and  even 
their  prejudices  and  objections  I  take  not  to  be  invin- 
cible. On  the  other  hand  I  fully  believe,  from  such 
trials  and  experiments  as  have  been  already  made  with 
many  individuals  that  if  a  pamphlet  was  published  and 
carefully  spread  throughout  this  Country  fairly  repre- 
senting the  only  plan  upon  which  American  Bishops 
have  been  requested,  assigning  the  reasons  for  it  and 
confuting  the  objections  against  it  without  any  reflec- 
tions or  severity  of  language  that  could  give  offence  the 
affair  might  be  carried  without  any  open  opposition. 

When  we  addressed  the  Throne  and  requested  your 
Lordship's  interest  to  support  our  petition,  whatever 
suspicions  of  the  weakness  of  our  judgements  may 
have  been  incurred,  we  hope  we  did  not  betray  any 
badness  of  heart,  or  perverseness  of  disposition.  We 
thought  it  our  duty  to  represent,  but  we  had  no  desire 
to  dictate  to  our  superiors,  who  only  have  a  right  to 
judge  of  the  Fitness  of  times  and  other  circumstances. 
We  were  conscious  of  our  inability  and  more  especially 
at  this  distance  to  comprehend  all  those  reasons  and 
arguments  which  ought  to  govern  the  Court  and  our 
addresses  were  founded  on  the  state  of  things  in  this 
Country  only  and  as  it  appeared  to  us.  Indeed  we 
were  warmed  with  the  subject  as  we  always  are  and 
must  be  whenever  we  consider  it,  which  it  is  humbly 


116         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

hoped  will  excuse  our  strongest  expressions ;  but  we 
had  no  desire  that  Governmt.  should  be  pressed  to 
pursue  any  Plan  which  the  particular  circumstances  of 
the  times  might  be  thought  to  render  inexpedient  in 
any  degree,  or  of  throwing  difficulties  in  the  way  of  it 
at  this  critical  season,  and  we  have  been  very  unfor- 
tunate in  our  language,  if  we  are  even  suspected  of 
such  an  intention.  The  Clergy  who  joined  in  those 
addresses  acted  from  an  opinion  of  indispensable  Duty. 
They  thought  it  incumbent  on  them  to  represent  the 
suffering  state  of  the  Church  and  to  implore  relief  for 
it.  But  having  done  this  which  is  all  that  can  be 
required  of  them  they  have  discharged  their  con- 
sciences and  they  humbly  submit  to  divine  providence 
and  the  wisdom  of  their  superiours,  being  prepared  I 
trust  at  all  hazards  both  to  do  and  to  suffer  as  their 
duty  shall  direct. 

In  the  mean  time  if  it  is  judged  that  they  can  be 
any  way  instrumental  in  this  Country  in  facilitating  so 
great  a  work  and  in  bringing  about  an  event  in  which 
the  Church  is  in  such  a  perishing  necessity,  altho  I  am 
not  authorized  to  speak  for  them  yet  from  the  know^- 
ledge  I  have  of  their  sentiments  in  this  and  some  of 
the  neighbouring  Colonies  I  am  very  certain  that  they 
will  think  themselves  extremely  happy  in  receiving 
your  Lordship's  commands  and  directions.  I  am  with 
due  submission  and  with  the  highest  gratitude, 

Your  Lordship's  most  Dutiful  Son  and 
humble  servant 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH,  117 


CHAPTER  YI. 

1766 — Letter  from  the  clergy — Object  of  their  conventions — Mode 
of  conducting  them — Names  of  Clergy  present  at  Shrewsbury — 
Desires  for  an  American  Episcopate — Apology  for  a  former  ad- 
dress— Allusion  to  disturbances  in  the  Colonies — Disadvantages 
under  which  Episcopalians  laboured — Objections  to  appointment 
of  commissioners — Important  measures  projected — Convention 
meets  at  Elizabeth  Town  Nov,  1776 — "Plan  of  Union"  formed — 
Articles  adopted — Dr.  Chandler's  publication  of  appeal  to  the 
public — Extracts  from  Dr.  Hawks  on  American  Episcopate — Op- 
position to  the  appeal — Violent  attacks — American  Whig,  Sen- 
tinel, &c. — Appeal  Defended — Appeal  Further  Defended — Re- 
markable circumstances  connected  with  Church  at  Hebron,  Conn. 
— Dr.  Chandler's  letter  upon  the  Controversy. 

Though  the  following  letter  (as  is  the  ease  with 
some  others  which  have  been  inserted  in  this  notice  of 
St.  John's  Church)  bears  no  special  relation  to  its 
Individual  history,  it  is  thought  to  possess  sufficient  of 
interest  to  entitle  it  to  a  more  general  circulation  than 
it  can  obtain  without  publication.  Everything  con- 
nected with  the  early  history  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  in  this  Country  is  of  value  and  especially 
the  original  records,  which  have  been  preserved  by  the 
Propagation  Society  and  by  the  several  ancient  pa- 
rishes.    They  throw  much  light,  not  only  upon  the 


118         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

ecclesiastical  condition  of  the  Colonies,  but  upon  their 
social  and  political  state.  This  letter  is  in  Dr.  Chan- 
dler's own  handwriting  and  is  contained  in  the  Manu- 
script Volume,  from  which  a  large  part  of  the  mate- 
rials for  this  little  work  have  been  drawn. 

"  May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

About  Eight  years  ago  the  Clergy  of  New  Jersey, 
taking  into  Consideration  the  deplorable  State  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  America  through  the  Want  of 
Bishops  and  a  regular  Discipline  and  fearing,  unless 
that  Relief  should  be  granted  which  had  been  so  often 
and  earnestly  requested,  that  it  would  soon  be  born 
down  in  this  Part  of  the  Country  by  the  Weight  of 
its  Adversaries — entered  into  a  Resolution,  after  the 
maturest  Deliberation,  to  meet  together  annually,  or 
oftener  as  Occasions  should  require,  in  Order  to  exert 
their  united  Efforts  for  the  Prevention,  if  possible,  or 
at  least  for  the  Retarding  of  the  impending  Evil. 
This  Apprehension  and  Disposition  in  the  Clergy 
gave  Rise  to  those  Conventions  in  this  and  some  of 
the  neighboring  Colonies,  of  which  your  Lordship 
must  have  frequently  heard  :  and  the  many  Advan- 
tages that  have  been  found  to  attend  them  have  occa- 
sioned their  Continuance. 

Our  first  Convention  was  in  November  lt58  :  and 
from  that  time  our  Annual  Conventions,  attended  by 
some  of  our  Brethren  from  the  adjacent  Provinces, 
have  been  regularly  held  with  considerable  Solemnity, 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  119 

a  Sermon  having  always  been  preached  at  the  Opening 
of  them,  and  our  occasional  Conventions  have  some- 
times amounted  to  several  in  the  Course  of  a  year. 
As  the  Members  meet  together  on  Terms  of  Equality, 
it  is  a  standing  Rule  that  a  President  be  chosen 
annually  to  act  for  the  year,  and  that  no  Person  be 
chosen  President  Two  years  successively.  It  is  only 
needful  farther  to  inform  your  Lordship  on  this  Head 
at  present,  that  as  the  Duties  of  our  respective  Mis- 
sions will  seldom  allow  us  to  continue  together  more 
than  Two  Days,  whatever  Business  we  are  unable  to 
finish  in  that  Time,  is  either  adjourned  to  another 
general  Meeting,  or,  if  it  requires  Dispatch,  is  left  to 
Committees,  who  are  to  act  in  the  name  of  the  Con- 
vention, and  agreeably  to  their  Instructions. 

What  has  been  hitherto  said  is  intended  partly  as  an 
Apology  for  the  unusual  Form  of  this  Address,  in 
which,  we  wiio  have  subscribed  it,  being  a  Committee 
for  writing  to  your  Lordship  on  the  Points  we  shall 
mention,  are  directed  to  insert  the  names  of  those  who 
were  present  at  our  late  Convention  held  at  Shrewsbury 
on  ye  1st  instant,  and  whom  we  have  the  Honor  to  re- 
present, which  are  as  follows,  viz 

The  Rev'd  Mr.  COOPER      The  Rev'd  Dr.  CHANDLER,  Prest. 
Mr.  M'KEAN  Mr.  PETERS 

Mr.  INGLIS  Mr.  CHARLTON 

Mr.  CUTTING  Mr.  STURGEON 

Mr.  JARVIS  Mr.  LEAMING 

Mr.  BENNETT.  Mr.  NEIL 

Mr.  AVERY  ]\Iu.  COOKE 

Mr.  EVANS  Mr.  SEABURY 


120         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

In  Pursuance  of  the  Trust  reposed  in  us  by  the  above 
Gentlemen,  we  beg  leave  to  proceed — 

Your  Lordship's  very  obliging  letter  of  March  10th 
to  the  Clergy  of  New  Jersey  and  New  York  in  Answer 
to  their  joint  Address  of  last  year  on  the  subject  of  an 
American  Episcopate,  being  read  in  Convention,  the 
Thanks  of  that  Body  were  unanimously  voted  to  your 
Lordship,  for  your  Attention  to  the  Interests  of  the 
Church  in  this  Country,  and  for  the  fresh  Declarations 
you  are  pleased  to  make  of  your  Desire  and  Disposition 
to  relieve  it;  the  Clergy  who  were  present  looking  upon 
the  Patronage  of  a  Person  of  your  Lordship's  Abilities 
and  Influence  as  a  happy  Omen  of  the  future  Success 
of  the  Cause,  which  they  have  so  greatly  at  Heart. 
Accordingly  we  now,  with  great  Pleasure,  present  to 
your  Lordship  the  sincere  and  unfeigned  Thanks  of  the 
Convention,  which,  in  their  names,  and  particularly  in 
our  own,  we  beg  You  will  accept  with  your  usual  Good- 
ness and  Condescension. 

And  whereas  your  Lordship  is  of  the  Opinion  that 
the  above  mentioned  Address  was  unseasonable,  and 
from  the  peculiar  Circumstances  of  the  Times,  tended 
to  throw  difficulties  in  the  way  of  Government;  we  are 
intrusted  to  offer  the  following  Apology.  At  the  Time 
of  our  making  the  Application  in  Question,  it  was  im- 
possible to  foresee  that  the  Disturbances  which  followed, 
would  arise  to  so  great  a  Height ;  and  although  we 
were  sensible  that  there  was  a  great  and  general  Un- 
easiness in  the  Minds  of  Americans,  on  Account  of 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  121 

some  Proceedings  of  tbe  British  Parliament,  yet  we 
were  not  apprehensive  that  the  Discontent  would  be 
considerably  inflamed  by  the  granting  us  Bishops — 
provided  care  should  be  taken  to  have  the  Design  and 
the  Powers  with  which  they  were  to  come,  properly 
explained.  The  plan  upon  which  they  were  requested 
to  be  sent,  must,  in  that  case  have  appeared  to  the  Dis- 
senters themselves  so  unexceptionable  in  all  Respects, 
and  so  manifestly  calculated  to  oblige  them^  that  no 
Opposition  from  that  Quarter  was  greatly  to  be 
dreaded. 

It  was  farther  considered,  that  should  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  Colonies  be  allowed,  upon  the  whole  to  be 
unfavorable  to  our  Application,  yet  other  circumstances 
concurred  to  render  it,  as  we  conceived,  expedient. 
We  had  a  Prince  on  the  Throne,  as  we  thank  God  we 
still  have,  of  whose  favorable  Disposition  we  had  the 
strongest  evidence — and  several  avowed  Patrons  of  our 
Cause,  whose  eminent  Abilities  and  Stations  gave  them 
a  Right  to  be  heard  on  the  subject.  These  were  con- 
sidered as  great  and  present  Advantages,  but  necessa- 
rily precarious  as  the  Breath  of  Man ;  for  which  Reason 
we  could  not  answer  it  to  our  Consciences  to  disregard 
or  neglect  them.  And  altho'  with  these  Advantages, 
we  have  not  succeeded  in  our  Application,  yet  we  trust 
in  God  that  much  has  been  done  to  prepare  the  Way 
for  it — and,  that  the  Time  is  not  far  distant,  wherein 
the  great  and  good  work  will  be  happily  accomplished. 

Our  Superiors  at  Home  have  an  undoubted  Right  to 
11 


122         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

judge  lolien,  as  well  as  whether,  it  is  proper  to  grant  our 
Request :  But  it  was  the  Belief  of  the  Convention,  that 
should  they  be  altogether  mistaken  with  Regard  to  the 
Propriety  of  the  Time  for  sending  us  Bishops,  yet  the 
friends  of  an  American  Episcopate  would  not  dislike, 
at  any  Time,  to  see  Petitions  from  this  Country  in  Favor 
of  it.  Por  we  Mattered  ourselves  that  our  Petitions 
would  be  thought  always  to  conduce  something  to  the 
Success  of  our  Cause,  on  supposition  that  our  Desire 
of  Bishops  would  be  considered  by  our  Superiors  as 
One  Motive  for  granting  them — and,  that  our  Desires 
are  to  be  best  known  by  our  expressing  them.  For 
these  and  the  like  Reasons,  and  not  from  any  inclina- 
tion to  embarras  the  State  of  public  Affairs,  nor  with 
any  Suspicions  that  what  they  were  doing  had  a  Ten- 
dency towards  it ;  the  Clergy  of  our  Convention  re- 
solved upon  their  Addresses  :  And  they  humbly  en- 
treat that  their  conduct  therein  may  be  ascribed  to  its 
true  Motives,  and  not  to  any  sinister  Intentions. 

We  have  never  heard  that  our  Application  was  judged 
to  be  improper  in  itself,  or  unreasonable  on  any  other 
Account  than  of  the  Disturbances  and  Confusion  which, 
about  that  Time,  prevailed  in  the  Colonies.  Those 
Disturbances,  at  Length,  have  happily  subsided;  we 
hope  therefore  that  it  is  not  unreasonable  noiv,  at  this 
Time  of  public  Tranquility,  to  renew  our  Request.  Ac- 
cordingly, by  the  Direction  and  in  the  name  of  our  last 
Convention  we  take  the  Liberty  to  address  your  Lord- 
ship again  on  the  Subject,  most  humbly  but  earnestly 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  123 

imploring  your  Mediation  and  Influence,  that  One  or 
more  Bishops  may  be  speedily  sent  us.  The  Dissenters 
in  this  Country,  of  every  Denomination,  have  the  full 
Enjoyment  of  all  they  can  desire  towards  rendering 
their  respective  Forms  of  Ecclesiastical  Government 
and  Discipline  compleat — the  Moravians  in  our  neigh- 
bourhood are  allowed  a  Bishop — and  the  Papists  in 
Canada  have  the  same  Indulgence — and  these  various 
sects  must  all  see,  and  the  world  sees,  that  if  we  had 
been  Dissenters,  or  Moravians,  or  Papists,  we  should  not 
have  been  so  long  laboring  for  an  Episcopate  to  so  little 
Purpose.  And  yet  the  only  Crime  we  are  conscious 
of,  with  Regard  to  the  Public,  is,  that  we  belong  to  the 
national  Church ;  to  which  may  be  added,  that  of  all 
his  Majesty's  American  Subjects  we  are  the  most  firmly 
attached  to  his  sacred  Person  and  Government,  and  to 
the  Civil  Constitution.  But  these  Things  we  need  not 
enlarge  on,  as  we  doubt  not  that  they  have  long  ap- 
peared to  your  Lordship  in  a  much  more  forceable  light, 
than  any  Language  or  Representation  of  ours  can  place 
them.  Upon  the  whole,  the  more  we  consider  the  sub- 
ject, the  stronger  does  the  necessity  appear  and  the 
more  unreasonable  the  Opposition  we  meet  with,  on 
all  Principles,  whether  political  or  religious.  And  al- 
though we  have  the  highest  Veneration  for  the  wisdom 
of  our  Superiors,  yet  as  Members  and  Clergymen  of 
the  Church  of  England  in  America,  we  are  very  un- 
happy, and  we  know  not  how  to  be  silent,  while  it  con- 
tinues to  suffer  in  such  an  unprecedented  manner. 


124         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

It  has  been  thought  by  some  of  our  Friends  at  Home, 
that  if  the  Application  for  Bishops  should  fail  of  suc- 
cess, or  should  not  speedily  succeed.  Your  Lordship's 
taking  out  a  Commission  to  act  for  the  Plantations  and 
appointment  of  Commissaries,  would  be  some  Com- 
pensation for  the  Miscarriage.  As  Your  Lordship,  in 
the  most  condescending  manner,  has  encouraged  us  to 
give  any  Information,  which  we  may  conceive  to  con- 
cern the  Interests  of  Religion  and  the  Church,  the 
Clergy  of  our  Convention,  thought  it  their  Duty  to  lay 
before  your  Lordship  their  Opinion  on  the  Case  of 
American  Commissaries,  which  we  will  endeavor  to 
express  as  briefly  as  possible.  But  previously  thereto, 
it  is  but  Justice  to  mention,  that  the  Reverend  Messrs. 
Peters  and  Sturgeon  did  not  concur  in  the  general 
opinion.  What  we  are  directed  to  say  is  to  the  follow- 
ing Purpose — 

It  is  the  opinion  of  our  Convention,  that  Commissa- 
ries cannot  be  of  any  considerable  Service  in  this  Part 
of  the  Country,  nor  supply  the  Want  of  Bishops  in  any 
Degree.  Unalienable  Episcopal  Power,  and  not  Com- 
missariat Power,  is  the  Thing  that  is  wanted.  Trial 
has  been  made  by  some  of  your  Lordships  Predecessors, 
what  could  be  done  by  Commissaries ;  and  it  has  never 
appeared  in  this  Country,  that  their  Usefulness  has  been 
great.  Most  of  us  are  too  young  to  have  known  much 
from  our  immediate  Observation;  but  those  who  re- 
member them  and  were  concerned  with  them  generally 
agree,  that  the  Affairs  of  the  Church  here  were  never 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  125 

SO  well  conducted  by  Commissaries,  as  they  have  been, 
of  late  years  by  our  voluntary  Conventions — and  some 
of  them  insist,  that  the  two  cases  will  hardly  admit  of 
a  Comparison.  One  good  consequence  of  these  Con- 
ventions has  been,  the  Establishment  of  Harmony, 
Unanimity  and  Affection  amongst  ourselves ;  and  we 
need  not  say  how  much  this  must  necessarily  conduce 
to  the  Interest  of  the  Church.  But  in  this  Respect 
Commissaries,  whatever  has  been  their  Intention  and 
Disposition,  have  almost  universally,  in  this  Part  of  the 
Country,  instead  thereof,  been  unfortunately  the  Occa- 
sion of  much  Contention  and  Discord.  And  as  to  other 
Advantages  expected  from  them,  it  is  generally  thought 
that  they  can  never  be  better  secured  by  Commissaries 
than  they  are  at  present  without  them — and,  unless  they 
should  be  Persons  of  great  Abilities,  Application  and 
Prudence  at  the  same  time,  not  so  well.  And  as  to 
the  single  case  of  Suspension,  for  which  a  Commissariat 
Power  may  be  thought  necessary,  it  has  but  seldom_ 
happened  in  these  Northern  Colonies ;  and  yet  should 
there  arise  any  Instance,  in  which  immediate  suspension 
should  be  requisite,  a  public  Declaration  of  the  Con- 
vention would  amount  to  a  suspension,  and  it  would 
effectually  prevent  the  Ministration  of  the  Delinquent, 
in  any  regular  Congregation.  To  this  may  be  added, 
that  the  Appointment  of  Commissaries  at  this  Time, 
will  tend  greatly  to  dishearten  our  Friends  and  encour- 
age our  Enemies,  whose  Eyes  are  all  turned  on  the 
Event  of  our  Application  for  an  Episcopate  j  for  it  will 

11* 


126         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

be  generally  thought  to  imply  that  the  Sollicitation  for 
Bishops  is  given  over  as  fruitless.  Our  application  has 
been  for  Bishops ;  but  instead  of  Bishops  if  Commissa- 
ries are  appointed,  which  always  argue  the  Absence  of 
Bishops — it  will  not  wholly  be  inferred  that  Bishops 
could  not,  and  the  Reasoning  will  not  stop  untill  it 
forms  the  Conclusion,  that  they  never  will,  be  obtained. 
For  it  appears  improbable  to  us,  in  the  present  Course 
of  Things,  as  the  Dissenters  are  dayly  improving  and 
gaining  Strength  in  almost  every  Part  of  the  British 
Dominions,  that  the  Enemies  to  our  American  Episco- 
pate will  ever  be  less  powerful,  or  the  Friends  of  it  be 
more  able  to  procure  it  or  have  stronger  motives  to 
exert  themselves,  or,  in  other  Words,  that  any  future 
time  will  be  more  favorable  than  the  present  for  obtain- 
ing it. 

While  we  are  on  the  Subject,  it  may  not  be  improper 
to  mention  another  Consideration,  which  must  have 
some  Weight  with  many  of  the  Clergy.  It  has  been 
the  Custom,  and  it  is  natural  it  should  be,  to  appoint 
Clergymen  for  Commissaries,  who  reside  in  our  Capital 
Cities.  And  it  has  been  proposed  lately,  that  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  Jersey  should  be  united  in  one  Com- 
missariat District,  and  New  York  and  Connecticut  in 
another.  Should  this  be  the  Case  and  Commissaries 
appointed.  One  would  probably  reside  in  Philadelphia 
and  another  in  New  York.  In  Consequence  of  this, 
Conventions,  if  peradventure  they  should  think  it  need- 
ful to  hold  any,  would  be  called  to  meet  where  it  should 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  127 

be  most  convenient  to  the  Commissaries ;  i.  e.  gene- 
rally in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  the  Clergy 
must  assemble,  not  only  from  the  remote  Parts  of  the 
same  Province,  but  from  all  the  Parts  of  another  Pro- 
vince, as  often  as  the  Commissaries  shall  please,  and, 
after  a  long  journey,  continue  as  long  as  they  please, 
at  a  great  Expence,  in  these  Capitals.  This,  where 
the  Clergy  are  very  hardly  able  to  support  themselves, 
will  necessarily  be  considered  as  a  great  Grievance. 

What  has  been  said  shews,  that  it  is  the  general 
Opinion  of  the  Clergy  here,  that  the  Appointment  of 
Commissaries  would  not  be  attended  with  many  real 
Advantages  to  the  Church ;  and,  on  the  other  Hand, 
that  some  ill  Consequences  would  probably  follow  it. 
But  the  Case  is  submitted,  with  all  due  Deference,  to 
your  Lordship's  better  judgement ;  and  all  that  has 
been  said  on  the  Subject  is  with  particular  Reference 
to  these  Colonies,  with  which  we  are  acquainted. 
What  the  State  of  Maryland,  Virginia  and  the  South- 
ern Colonies  is,  we  know  not,  and  we  pretend  not  to 
judge,  whether  Commissaries  there  would  be  useful  or 
not. 

Thus  we  have  endeavoured  with  all  Faithfulness,  to 
represent  the  Sentiments  of  our  late  Convention  ;  and 
we  rely  on  Your  Lordship's  known  Goodness  to 
excuse  the  Length  of  this  Address,  and  the  great 
Freedom  we  have  taken  in  it.  The  Integrity  of  our 
Intentions  we  can  truly  plead  ;  and  this,  together  with 
the  Importance  of  the  Matter,  we  trust,  will  in  some 


128         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Measure,  atone   for   any  Failure   in   the    Manner,  of 
which  we  may  have  been  guilty.     "Without  any  farther 
Apology,  we  beg  Leave  to  subscribe  ourselves,  as  we 
are  with  the  utmost  Gratitude  and  Respect, 
May  it  please  your  Lordship, 

your  Lordship's  most  dutiful  sons, 

and  obliged  humble  Servants, 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER. 
Prest.  of  the  Convention 
SAML.  COOKE. 
MYLES  COOPER. 

The  Lord  Bishop  of  London. 

Elizabeth  Town  Oct.  10th  1766." 

Soon  after  the  date  of  this  letter  important  measures 
were  projected  by  the  Episcopal  Clergy  of  several  of 
the  Colonies  and  one  of  their  meetings  is  thus  alluded 
to  by  a  writer  in  the  Church  Review  (Art.  American 
Episcopate  before  the  Revolution)  Vol.  4  p.  572 ;  ''The 
first  meeting  of  the  Convention  was  held  at  Elizabeth- 
town  N.  J.  in  Nov.  1766  ;  and  was  attended  by  nine 
Clergymen  from  Connecticut,  and  twenty-two  from 
New  York  and  Philadelphia.  A  glance  at  the  pub- 
lished list  of  names  shows  that  no  ordinary  purpose 
summoned  that  body  of  men  together.  A  '  Plan  of 
Union'  was  formed,  and  '  Articles'  were  adopted.  The 
'  design'  of  this  Convention  was  declared  to  be  (in  part) 
'  defending  the  religious  liberties  of  our  Churches,  to 
diffuse  union  and  harmony,  and  to  keep  up  a  corres- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  129 

pondence  throughout  this  united  body,  and  with  our 
friends  abroad.''  At  the  same  meeting,  a  letter  was 
formally  adopted,  to  be  sent  'to  the  Brethren  of  the 
Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire  and  Khode  Island 
Governments  and  the  Dutch  Churches.'" 

In  the  year  166t  Dr.  Chandler  published  and  dedi- 
cated to  the  Lord  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  "An 
Appeal  to  the  Public  in  behalf  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land in  America :  Wherein  the  Origin  and  Nature  of 
the  Episcopal  Office  are  briefly  considered,  Reasons 
for  sending  Bishops  to  America  are  assigned,  the  plan 
on  which  it  is  proposed  to  send  them  is  stated,  and  the 
objections  against  sending  them  are  obviated  and  con- 
futed :  With  an  Appendix,  wherein  is  given  some 
account  of  an  Anonymous  Pamphlet."  The  origin  of 
this  work  is  alluded  to  by  the  Rev.  Francis  L.  Hawks 
D.  D.  L.  L.  D.  in  an  article  entitled  "  Efforts  to  obtain 
the  Episcopate  before  the  Revolution"  republished  in 
"  Collections  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Historical 
Society,  for  the  year  1851."  Dr.  H.  says;  "Early  in 
166Y,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Johnson"^  of  Stratford,  in  Connec- 
ticut suggested  to  Dr.  Chandler  of  Elizabethtown,  in 
New  Jersey,  the  propriety  of  addressing  the  public  on 
the  subject  of  an  American  Episcopate.  It  has  indeed 
been  intimated  that  the  suggestion  came  from  a  higher 

*  The  life  of  Dr.  Johnson  was  written  by  Dr.  Chandler 
before  the  Revolution  and  was  published  in  New  York  in 
1805. 


130         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

source,  and  that  the  measure  originated  with  the  Arch- 
bishop of  Canterbury.  Of  this,  however,  no  proof  has 
been  met  with,  and  as  it  was  positively  contradicted  by 
Dr.  Chandler,  the  insinuation  was  probably  without 
foundation.  Yery  soon  after  the  proposition  by  Dr. 
Johnson,  a  voluntary  association  of  the  Episcopal 
Clergy  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,*  at  which  were 
present  some  of  their  brethren  from  the  neighbouring 
provinces,  after  discussion  of  the  subject,  were  unani- 
mous in  the  opinion  ''that  fairly  to  explain  the  plan 
on  which  American  Bishops  had  been  requested  to  lay 
before  the  public  the  reasons  of  this  request,  to  answer 
the  objections  that  had  been  made,  and  to  obviate 
those  that  might  otherwise  be  conceived  against  it, 
was  not  only  proper  and  expedient,  but  a  matter  of 
necessity  and  duty. 

The  performance  of  this  duty  devolved  on  Dr. 
Chandler,  and  gave  birth  to  "an  Appeal  to  the 
Public  in  behalf  of  the  Church  of  England  in  Ame- 
rica," published  in  June  176t.  This  production  con- 
sisted substantially  of  a  short,  but  perspicuous  view  of 
the  evidence  in  favour  of  Episcopacy,  the  hardships  of 
the  case  of  the  Church,  deprived  of  an  officer  deemed 

*  Among  the  names  of  tlie  Clergy  then  assembled  are  to  be 
found  those  of  Dr.  Auchmuty,  Dr.  Chandler,  Dr.  Myles 
Cooper,  Dr.  Ogilvie,  Mr.  Charlton,  Mr.  Seabury  (afterwards 
Bishop  of  Connecticut)  Mr.  Ingles  (afterwards  Bishop  of 
Nova  Scotia)  and  Mr.  Abraham  Beach. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  131 

essential  to  its  existence,  the  plan  proi)osed,  with  an 
answer  to  the  fears  and  objections  of  those  who  op- 
posed it.  It  was  not  to  be  expected  after  the  previous 
discussion  of  the  subject,  that  the  author  could  present 
much  of  novelty  to  attract  his  readers.  The  object  of 
Dr.  Chandler  was  to  satisfy  the  American  public,  that 
the  apprehensions  which  were  entertained  by  many 
were  groundless — that  the  claim  of  Episcopalians  was 
founded  in  most  obvious  justice,  and  that  their  peculiar 
opinions  on  the  subject  of  Church  government  were 
built  upon  apostolic  and  primitive  usage.  The  work 
is  marked  by  a  sound  judgement  and  lucid  argument, 
and  upon  its  first  appearance  was  treated  by  many, 
even  of  those  who  were  not  Episcopalians,  with  the 
respect  which  was  due  to  the  talents  and  standing  of 
the  author.  The  more  candid  acknowledged  that  to 
resist  such  claims  as  were  there  presented,  upon  the 
ground  of  apprehended  evils,  which  were  all  guarded 
against  by  the  plan  proposed,  savoured  more  of  in- 
tolerance than  of  Christianity. 

The  first  opposition  to  the  "  appeal,"  there  is  reason 
to  think  had  its  origin  in  disappointed  feelings.  An 
application  for  a  Charter  by  the  Presbyterians  of  New 
York  had  been  rejected  by  the  authorities  of  the 
mother  country,  and  the  Bishop  of  London  was  sup- 
posed to  have  been  active  in  defeating  the  application. 
These  facts  are  stated  repeatedly  in  the  subsequent 
newspaper  publications  on  the  part  of  the  Church, 
and  are  not  contradicted  in  the  replies  of  its  advcr- 


132         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

saries ;  but  of  the  precise  nature  of  the  application  or 
of  its  merits,  we  have  no  evidence  on  which  to  speak. 

The  attack  on  the  Appeal  commenced  simultaneously 
from  various  quarters,  thus  giving  rise  to  a  very  natural 
suspicion,  that  a  combination  had  been  entered  into  for 
the  purpose  of  effectually  crushing  the  plan  of  an 
American  bishop.  A  series  of  essays  appeared  in  the 
New  York  Gazette,  under  the  name  of  the  "American 
Whig  ;"*  while  the  Pennsylvania  Journal  in  Philadel- 
phia gave  to  the  world  the  lucubrations  of  the  "  Sen- 
tinel" and  Dr.  Chauncy  of  Boston  (in  his  proper 
name)  published  the  ''  Appeal  to  the  Public  Answer- 
ed." The  violent  invectives  of  the  Whig  were  re- 
published in  the  papers  of  Philadelphia  and  Boston, 
while  the  alarm  sounded  in  Philadelphia  by  the  Sen- 
tinel was  instantly  echoed  from  the  presses  of  the 
sister  cities ;  and  thus  was  concentrated  the  opposition 
of  the  three  principal  cities  into  an  attack  more  fierce 
than  any  which  had  preceded  it. 

It  is  impossible  to  read  many  of  these  publications 
without  a  humiliating  sense  of  the  infirmity  of  our 
nature.  If  in  some,  the  questions  fairly  involved  are 
discussed  in  the  spirit  of  manly  argument,  in  the 
greater  part  abusive  personalities  supply  the  place  of 
facts,  and  railing  is  substituted  for  reasoning.  Nor  is 
it  intended  to  exempt  from  this  censure  many  of  the 
publications  on  the  part  of  Episcopalians.     The  Ame- 

*  These  were  attributed  to  Mr.  Williajn  Livingston. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  133 

rican  Whig  soon  found  an  antagonist  under  the  as- 
sumed name  of  "  Timothy  Tickler,"  who  followed  its 
successive  numbers  with  what  he  termed  "A  Whip  for 
the  American  Whig,"  and  it  must  be  confessed  that 
his  lash  is  often  laid  on  with  merciless  severity.  There 
runs  through  his  writings  a  bitterness  of  spirit  not  to 
be  commended,  and  both  these  essayists  will  be  laid 
aside  by  the  candid  reader  with  the  feeling  that  the 
contest  between  the?n  was,  which  could  call  the  hardest 
names. 

The  Sentinel  was  met  in  Philadelphia  by  a  gentle- 
man whose  talents  have  seldom  been  surpassed.  Dr. 
William  Smith,  who  for  years  had  been  an  attentive 
observer  and  a  prominent  actor  in  the  concerns  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Church,  came  before  the  public  in 
a  series  of  essays  under  the  title  of  "  The  Anatomist." 
Of  all  the  newspaper  productions  of  that  time,  this 
will  probably  be  read  with  most  interest ;  for  though 
not  entirely  free  from  bitterness,  it  is  yet,  for  the  most 
part,  made  up  of  facts  and  reasoning.  There  are  ex- 
hibited a  calm  self-possession  and  coolness  of  mind 
which  it  is  obvious  were  the  result  of  the  author's  con- 
viction that  his  cause  was  good.  He  is  never  roused 
to  unbecoming  anger,  and  but  seldom  stoops  to  retort 
abuse.  Still  these  essays  are  severe,  but  their  severity 
consists  principally  in  the  unanswerable  nature  of  their 
arguments. 

The  newspaper  essays  already  mentioned  were  the 
12 


134         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

most  prominent  in  the  controversy  ;  but  they  were  not 
all.  There  were  ''Remonstrants"  and  "Anti-Sen- 
tinels," not  remarkable  for  ability :  but  for  scurrility 
and  vulgar  humour  the  meed  of  superiority  is  justly 
due  to  a  "Kick  for  the  Whipper,  by  Sir  Isaac  Foot.'''' 
The  author  aims  at  wit,  and  reaches  blackguardism. 

It  is  due  to  Dr.  Chandler  to  say  that  in  all  his  writings 
on  this  subject  he  preserved  his  dignity.  In  reply  to  Dr. 
Chauncy,  he  published  "  The  Appeal  Defended,"  and 
subsequently,  in  17*11,  "The  Appeal  Further  Defended," 
in  answer  to  a  second  production  of  Dr.  Chauncy.''^ 
"  Shortly  before  the  appeal  was  written,  two  mission- 
aries perished  in  one  ship  upon  the  coast  of  New 
Jersey,  almost  in  sight  of  their  port,  one  of  whom  left 
a  family  in  N.  York  dependent  upon  Charity.  But 
one  of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  the  incon- 
venience and  risk  of  obtaining  orders  in  England  was 
furnished  in  the  history  of  the  parish  of  Hebron  in 
Connecticut.  For  nearly  twenty  years  that  congrega- 
tion exerted  themselves,  and  without  success,  to  obtain 
a  minister  at  their  own  expense.  They  first  sent  over 
Mr.  Dean,  in  1145,  who  was  admitted  to  holy  orders 
and  appointed  their  missionary,  but  in  returning  he  is 
supposed  to  have  perished,  as  the  ship  was  never  heard 
of.  The  next  was  Mr.  Colton,  who  in  1752  died  on 
his  passage  from  London.  The  third  candidate  sent 
to  England  by  this  unfortunate  people,  was  Mr.  Usher, 
who,  on  his  passage  in  1757,  was  taken  by  the  French, 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  135 

aud  died  a  prisoner  iu  the  castle  of  Bayonne.  The 
fourth  was  Mr.  Peters,  who  in  1759,  very  soon  after 
his  arrival  in  England,  was  taken  with  the  small  pox, 
and  narrowly  escaping  with  his  life,  to  the  great  joy  of 
his  people,  at  length  reached  them  and  officiated  as 
their  missionary. — The  Appeal  Further  Defended,  p. 
127-128."  About  one-fifth  of  all  who  ever  went  for 
orders  never  saw  their  homes  again."* 

There  are  several  letters  of  Dr.  Chandler's  bearing 
date  1767,  in  relation  to  matters  not  connected  with 
his  own  Church,  preserved  in  the  Records  of  the  Pro- 
pagation Society,  which  it  is  not  thought  needful  to 
insert.  They  principally  concern  the  affairs  of  other 
missionaries  and  their  congregations.  The  following 
extract  from  a  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Propaga- 
tion Society  dated  Elizabeth  Town  June  24  1768, 
gives  Dr.  C.'s  impression  in  reference  to  the  contro- 
versy just  alluded  to. 

"  Yery  Reverend  Sir 

The   Friends  of  the  Church  here  seem  to 

have  been  universally  pleased  with  my  publication, 
and  for  a  while  the  Dissenters  appeared  to  be  not  un- 
satisfied. But  at  length  i.  e.  when  they  found  that 
their  application  for  a  Charter  of  Incorporation  in 
New  York  had  been  rejected  by  His  Majesty  in  Coun- 
cil, they  resolved  upon  a  general  Attack  to  be  made 

*  Note — Vide,  Dr.  Hawks'  Essay. 


136         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

from  cliifereiit  Quarters.  Doctor  Chauncy  of  Boston 
one  of  their  smartest  writers  was  engaged  to  undertake 
an  open  formal  Confutation  of  the  Appeal;  and  about 
the  time  of  his  being  ready  to  publish,  a  Weekly  paper 
made  its  appearance  in  New  York  under  the  Title  of 
the  American  Whig — and  another  came  forward  the 
week  following  in  Philadelphia,  with  the  Title  of  the 
Centinel.  Dr.  Chauncy's  is  a  long  piece  amounting  to 
more  than  200  pages,  virulent  against  the  Church,  but 
more  free  from  personal  abuse  than  I  expected  and  in 
my  opinion  it  deserves  the  singular  character  of  being 
very  artful  and  blundering.  The  American  Whig  is 
an  outrageous  Attack  upon  the  Church,  upon  Bishops, 
the  American  Clergy  and  the  Appeal;  and  its  charac- 
teristicks  are  Buffoonry  Yenom  and  Scurrility.  The 
Authors  make  a  figure  in  their  way  being  the  very 
persons  who  are  so  famed  in  this  Country  for  having 
formerly  produced  the  Independant  Reflector  and 
Watchtoicer.  The  Centinel  is  not  less  virulent  but 
abounds  more  in  that  kind  of  Sophistry  which  the 
ignorant  are  apt  to  mistake  for  solid  reasoning.  The 
Authors  of  it  are  supposed  to  be  Dr.  Alliston,  Yice 
Provost  of  the  college  in  Philadelphia  assisted  by  a 

Number  of  his  Presbyterian  Brethren  and  Mr.  D n 

the  very  popular  author  of  the  Farmer''s  Letters  which 
were  published  last  Winter  in  Philadelphia  and  re- 
printed from  Week  to  Week  in  every  Gazette  on  this 
Continent.     The  American  Whig  is  reprinted  in  Phila- 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  137 

delphia  and  the  Centinel  in  New  York  and  both  in 
Boston  ;  and  are  circulated  thro'  the  Country  with  the 
greatest  zeal  and  industry. 

Immediately  upon  the  appearance  of  the  Atnerican 
Whiff  I  drew  up  a  long  advertizement  to  the  Public, 
which  I  caused  to  be  printed  in  all  the  papers  in  New 
York  and  Philadelphia  remarking  upon  such  a  method 
of  attacking  a  serious  publication,  assigning  the  rea- 
sons for  my  not  choosing  to  engage  with  such  an 
Antagonist  in  a  weekly  altercation — but  at  the  same 
time  assuring  the  Public  that  if  God  should  continue 
my  Health  every  argument  and  objection  of  my  various 
opponents  which  should  have  any  appearance  of  reason 
to  support  it  should  be  considered  in  due  time,  in  a 
general  defence  of  the  Appeal.  But  the  Clergy  in  this 
Neighbourhood  thinking  it  necessary  to  skirmish  with 
the  American  Whig  in  a  Weekly  Paper,  set  forward 
an  Answer  under  the  Title  of  A  Whip  for  the  Ame- 
rican Whig  of  which  12  Nos.  have  been  already  pub- 
lished. It  was  expected  that  our  Friends  in  and 
about  Philadelphia  would  also  engage  with  the  Cen- 
tinel in  the  same  way ;  but  nothing  material  has 
hitherto  appeared  from  that  Quarter  in  favor  of  the 
Appeal. 

Amidst  this  general  outcry  I  am  perfectly  easy,  and 
am  not  under  the  least  anxiety  with  regard  to  the 
issue.  These  Assailants  have  injured  themselves  by 
overcharging  and  their  attack  has  been  conducted  in 

12* 


138         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

such  a  manner  that  many  of  their  Friends  are  ashamed 
of  them.  When  I  come  to  reply  I  am  determined  to 
proceed  in  the  manner  and  temper  of  the  Appeal,  not 
disconcerted  by  any  personal  abuse — nor  paying  any 
regard  to  what  every  innocent  and  honest  man  ought 

to  despise . 

Reverend  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  139 


CHAPTER   YII. 

1768 — Convention  at  New  Brunswick — Plan  for  relief  of  widows 
and  orphans  of  clergymen — Condition  of  St.  John's  Church  in 
1769 — Dr.  Chandler's  missionary  labours — Visits  Sussex  County 
— Account  of  Mr.  Frazer's  mission — Character  of  the  settlers — 
Need  of  the  Gospel — Parish  formed — Dr.  Chandler's  letter  in 
reference  to  his  Appeal  &c. — Mr.  Whitfield  revisits  Elizabeth 
Town — Petition  to  Council  of  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey — Grant 
of  land — Anxiety  for  conversion  of  the  Indians — Plan  proposed 
to  the  Venerable  Society  in  relation  thereto — Missions  in  the 
Colonies — Importance  of  sustaining  them — Progress  of  the  me- 
morial in  behalf  of  the  Indians — Republicanism — Trenton  mis- 
sion— Resolution  to  build  a  new  church  at  Elizabeth  Town — 
Condition  of  the  missions  at  Burlington,  Shrewsbury,  New 
Brunswick  and  Newark. 

A  Voluntary  Convention  was  held  in  New  Bruns- 
wick Oct.  12th  1^68  at  which  were  present  the  Rev'd 
Dr.  Chandler,  President,  and  the  Rev'd  Drs.  Smith, 
Auchmuty  and  Cooper,  and  the  Rev'd  Messrs.  Thomp- 
son, Inglis,  Cutting,  Yiets,  Odell,  Beardsley,  Beach, 
Ayres,  Prazer,  Charlton,  Browne,  Preston,  Cooke, 
Seabury  and  Barton,  who,  "considering  maturely  the 
distressed  situation  of  many  of  the  widows  and  chil- 
dren of  the  Episcopal  Clergy  in  America,  who  by 


140         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

reason  of  the  smallness  of  their  income  are  not  only 
disabled  from  making  any  future  provision  for  their 
families,  but  are  scarcely  able  with  the  greatest  Econ- 
omy to  support  them  with  a  decency  becoming  their 
characters  even  during  their  lives,"  agreed  upon  a 
scheme  for  their  relief  which  they  submitted  to  the 
Venerable  Society.  The  document  containing  the 
plan  is  quite  an  elaborate  one,  with  sixteen  articles. 

Some  further  account  of  this  will  be  found  in  a 
letter  of  Dr.  Chandler's  to  the  Secretary  of  which  the 
following  is  an  extract. 

"Elizabeth  Town  August  10  1769. 

Very  Reverend  Sir, 

Before  our  Convention  in  May  last  I  had 

received  your  favour  of  March  4th  preceding,  inform- 
ing me  that  some  particulars  of  our  scheme  were  not 
finally  determined  by  the  Society;  in  consequence  of 
which  no  farther  steps  were  .taken  by  the  Convention. 
Indeed  as  obtaining  the  Powers  to  act,  from  our  re- 
spective Governors,  was  considered  in  the  light  of  not 
interfering  with  the  total  submission  of  the  plan  to  the 
Society,  some  progress  was  made  with  the  Charter. 
It  had  passed  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  through 
all  the  offices,  and  the  several  Persons  in  New  York 
who  were  concerned  in  passing  it  were  willing  to  pro- 
ceed ;  but  Mr.  Kemp  the  Attorney  General  proposed 
some  Amendments,  which  he  thought  would  be  for  our 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  141 

Advantage,  declaring  that  if  we  chose  not  to  adopt 
them,  he  was  willing  to  pass  it  as  it  was.  The  pro- 
posed amendments  were  generally  approved  of,  and  it 
was  left  to  a  Committee  to  settle  the  matter.  Whether 
it  is  yet  finished  I  have  not  heard ;  we  were  in  no 
great  hurry,  as  we  were  in  expectation  of  hearing  the 
Society's  final  determination. 

Yesterday  and  not  before  I  received  the  Letter  with 
which  you  have  honor'd  me  of  the  Society's  Resolu- 
tions relating  to  this  affair.  We  have  always  expe- 
rienced in  the  Members  of  that  Yen'ble  Body,  the 
kindness  and  affection  of  Parents ;  and  we  have  par- 
ticular reason  to  be  thankful  to  them  for  their  good- 
ness to  us  on  this  occasion.  Altho'  they  have  not 
exactly  complied  with  our  request  they  have  done  that 
which  is  much  more  for  our  advantage,  and  at  the 
same  time  have  not  restrained  any  of  us  from  con- 
tributing in  what  proportion  he  pleases.  I  am  im- 
patient for  an  opportunity  of  communicating  to  my 
Brethren  this  agreeable  intelligence  and  of  joining 
with  them  in  returning  thanks  for  such  a  signal  mark 
of  the  Society's  Affection  for  their  Missionaries.  Our 
Convention  will  meet  on  the  1st  of  October ;  in  the 
meanwhile  I  beg  leave  in  my  own  name  to  present  my 
most  grateful  acknowledgements  to  that  Charitable 
Body. 

With  the  greatest  respect  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLEE." 


142         THE  CIIURCFI  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Dr.  C.  writes  to  the  Secretary  in  reference  to  bis 
Church  from 

"Elizabeth  Toavn  March  27tli  1769. 

Very  Keverend  Sir, 

My  congregation   I   believe   is   one   of  the 

largest  in  this  Province  belonging  to  the  Church ;  it 
contains  not  less  than  100  Families,  of  which  about 
80  Persons  are  Communicants,  but  they  are  scattered 
at  such  distances  and  many  are  so  careless  in  attending 
that  it  seldom  happens  that  we  see  more  than  two- 
thirds  of  them  together.     In  good  Weather  however 
the  Church  is  well  filled,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
Congregation    is    more   than   commonly   decent   and 
orderly.     I  have  always  endeavored  to  discharge  my  , 
duty  towards  them  regularly  and  faithfully.     My  suc- 
cess has  by  no  means  answered  my  wishes  ;  but  I  have 
not  more  reason  to  complain  than  most  of  my  Brethren. 
I  have  hitherto  had  the  happiness  of  living  in  the   * 
greatest  peace  with  them,  and  I  have  no  reason  to 

suspect  but  it  will  still  continue . 

Rev'd  Sir  &c. 

THOS.  B.  CHANDLER." 

No  one  can  have  become  familiar  with  the  History 
of  St.  John's  Church  in  Dr.  Chandler's  time  without 
being  convinced  of  his  ability,  earnestness  and  zeal, 
but  his  labours  were  by  no  means  confined  to  the 
people  of  his  immediate  charge.     His  letters  and  the 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  143 

Society's  Reports  show  that  his  preaching  and  in- 
fluence extended  over  a  wide  field.  While  extremely 
anxious  that  the  Episcopal  Church  should  appear 
before  the  people  in  all  its  completeness,  while  labour- 
ing to  convince  Episcopalians  at  home  and  abroad  of 
the  importance  of  immediate  action  for  the  good  of  the 
Church,  in  view  of  the  state  of  the  Colonies,  he  was 
not  unmindful  of  the  wants  of  destitute  regions  around 
him,  or  unwilling  to  aid  them  in  their  endeavours  to 
secure  the  ministrations  of  the  Gospel. 
He  writes  to  the  Secretary  from 

"  Elizabeth  Town  Jany.  5  1770. 
Yery  Reverend  Sir, 

Upon  a  representation  of  the  Religious  State 

of  the  N"ew  County  of  Sussex  on  the  North  Western 

part  of  this  Province  at  the  distance  of  about  50  miles 

from  hence  I  thought  it  my  Duty  to  make  that  People 

a  Yisit.     I  went  up  in  November  last,  and  spent  a 

week  there  preaching  daily  from  place  to  place.     The 

County  excepting  one  Corner  which  is  included  in  Mr. 

Frazer's  Mission,  was  a  perfect  wilderness  in  the  time 

of  the  last  War.     There  were  indeed  a  few  straggling 

Settlers  in  the  Neighbourhood  of  the  River  Delaware, 

which  divides  it  from  Pennsylvania  ;  but  some  of  them 

were  killed  and  the  rest  driven  away  by  the  Savages. 

Those  that  were  driven  off  have  since  returned,  and 

many  new  Settlers  have  since  been   added,  and  the 

number  of  Familys  now  in  the  County  is  about  1500. 


144         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Of  these  there  are  50  families  belonging  to  the  Church 
exclusively  of  those  which  are  in  Mr.  Frazer's  Mission; 
and  they  frequently  assemble  together  in  private  houses 
on  Sundays,  where  and  when  the  Liturgy  is  read.  The 
other  inhabitants  are  a  mixture  of  Presbyterians,  Ana- 
baptists and  Quakers,  with  a  few  low  Dutch;  and 
many  People  of  these  different  denominations  appear 
to  be  well  affected  towards  the  Church.  They  are  all 
very  poor,  as  the  first  Settlers  of  a  new  Country  gene- 
rally are ;  and  as  they  are  unable  to  support  the  Public 
Worship  in  their  different  forms  there  is  not  a  settled 
Minister  of  any  denomination  in  the  whole  Country. 
They  have  many  strolling  illiterate  Preachers  among 
them,  particularly  the  Baptists,  and  they  are  frequently 
visited  by  the  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the  Neighbor- 
ing Counties.  But  no  Clergyman  of  the  Church  of 
England  had  ever  been  in  those  parts  when  I  went 
thither. 

I  am  persuaded  that  no  good  Christian,  no  person 
of  common  humanity,  could  be  upon  the  spot,  and  be 
a  witness  of  their  poverty,  and  their  earnest  desires  to 
have  the  Gospel  regularly  preached  among  them,  and 
not  be  moved  with  concern  and  compassion  for  them. 
I  speak  particularly  of  the  professed  members  of  the 
Church.  I  believe  there  is  not  a  Presbyterian  or  In- 
dependent on  this  Continent  but  would  think  them 
proper  objects  even  of  the  Societyh  charity,  and  look 
upon  them  as  coming  within  the  Oriyinal  Intention  of 
their  Charter.     A  view  of  their  condition  made  such 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOUN'S  CHURCH.  145 

an  impression  upon  me,  that  I  could  not  avoid  pro- 
mising to  recommend  them  to  the  Yen'ble  Society, 
and  encouraging  them  to  hope  for  a  Mission  after  the 
proper  steps  should  have  been  taken  on  their  part. 

As  they  were  ignorant  in  what  manner  to  proceed, 
they  put  themselves  under  my  direction  in  this  matter; 
and  the  plan  which  I  have  proposed  to  them  is  as  fol- 
lows, Viz  ;  that  there  shall  be  a  general  meeting  of 
the  professed  members  of  the  Church  at  which  some 
particular  persons  should  be  chosen  to  represent  and 
act  for  the  whole  body,  with  the  Title  of  Church 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen  (which  has  been  already 
done)  :  that  a  Subscription  Paper  should  be  put  for- 
ward and  trial  made  what  money  can  be  raised,  or 
what  Contribution  of  Labor  &c.  may  be  expected  from 
among  themselves,  towards  the  settlement  of  a  Minis- 
ter :  and  as  they  have  a  large  Court  House,  which  may 
serve  for  some  years  as  a  place  for  public  worship,  that 
instead  of  exhausting  themselves  in  building  a  Church, 
their  whole  strength  should  be  exerted  in  providing  a 
Parsonage  House  and  Glebe,  especially  a  Glebe,  as 
Land  is  now  cheap,  and  with  such  assistance  as  may 
be  hoped  for  from  other  places  there  is  a  prospect  of 
their  being  able  to  acquire  such  a  Landed  Estate  as 
may  in  the  course  of  20  or  30  years  of  itself  be  a  suf- 
ficient support  for  a  Clergyman . 

Reverend  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CPIANDLER." 
13 


14G         THE  CIIURCPI  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  Society's  Records  for  lYtO-1  contain  the  fol- 
lowing entry : 

"  The  Society  have  received  in  the  course  of  the 
year  two  very  satisfactory  letters  from  the  Rev'd  Dr. 
Chandler  at  Elizabeth  Town  in  which  among  other 
things,  they  are  informed  that  his  congregation  con- 
tinues to  be  large,  orderly  and  respectable ;  that  there 
are  100  families  and  70  or  80  communicants:  that  the 
dissenters  are  more  friendly  than  ever;  and  their  pre- 
judices against  our  church  do  abate.  That  he  has 
frequently  gone  back  into  the  country  and  preached 
on  week  days,  and  more  than  once  four  days  success- 
ively at  different  places." 

One  of  the  letters  to  which  allusion  has.  been  made 
in  the  foregoing  extract  bears  date 

"Elizabeth  Town  July  5  1770. 

Reverend  Sir, 

It  affords  me  very  great  satisfaction  to  find  by 

your  letter  that  the  Appeal  Defended  meets  with  the 
approbation  of  so  able  and  candid  a  Judge  The 
Task  I  had  to  perform  was  very  difficult  in  one  re- 
spect; for  the  provocations  and  trials  of  Temper  I  had 
met  with  were  so  many  and  great  that  I  found  it  no 
easy  thing  to  keep  myself  within  the  compass  of 
decency,  and  to  avoid  rendering  railing  for  railing. 
Notwithstanding  that  I  was  upon  my  guard,  there  are 
some  few  passages  in  which  I  could  wish  the  expres- 
sions had  been  softened,  altho'  most  of  my  Friends 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  141 

here  think  they  are  full  soft  enoagh.  lu  my  last  of 
Jan'y  5th  I  informed  you  that  Dr.  Chauncy  had  pre- 
pared a  Reply  :  It  was  printed  in  January  but  I  was 
not  able  to  procure  a  copy  of  it  until  within  a  few 
weeks.  It  contains  near  200  pages  and  is  filled  with 
Blunders  and  Sophistry  as  I  expected.  The  Doctor 
does  not  recede  one  Inch  from  his  former  ground,  and 
will  not  allow  that  I  have  established  a  single  point 
which  I  attempted  to  defend,  or  abated  the  Force  of 
any  ejection  that  I  attempted  to  answer,  and  his 
brethren  in  and  about  Boston  have  again  presented 
him  with  their  formal  thanks  in  Convention  for  this 
last  notable  exploit.  It  is  difficult  to  deal  with  such 
an  Antagonist  supported  by  such  a  party,  who  resolve 
that  he  shall  have  a  public  Ovation  as  often  as  he 
attacks  the  author  of  the  Appeal.  Enough  I  think 
has  been  said  in  defence  of  it ;  yet  as  matters  are  situ- 
ated it  seems  necessary  to  rejoin,  and  the  most  judi- 
cious of  my  Friends  say  that  I  absolutely  must.  I 
shall  however  not  undertake  the  Task  immediately 
thinking  it  best  to  put  off  so  hot  a  piece  of  work  to  a 
cooler  season  of  the  year.  If  I  should  bring  on  ano- 
ther Reply  my  subsequent  Rejoinder  shall  be  in  the 
form  of  an  admonition  to  Dr.  Chauncy  and  his  ad- 
herents. 

Mr.  Whitfield  has  again  come  into  the  Country  and 
again  has  been  received  into  the  Philadelphia  Churches. 
He  has  lately  been  also  in  this  Town ;  but  as  there 
was  no  expection  that  I  would  give  him  the  use  of  my 


148         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

Pulpit,  it  was  not  requested,  and  no  kind  of  disturb- 
ance has  been  created  by  him.  My  congregation  is  as 
regular  and  respectable  as  ever  it  was,  consisting  of 
about  100  Families  of  which  there  are  between  tO  and 
80  Communicants ;  and  the  Dissenters  of  late  have 
become  more  friendly  in  appearance  than  ever.  Some 
years  ago  but  very  few  of  them  were  to  be  seen  in 
Church  upon  any  occasion,  but  now  they  sometimes 
crowd  thither  in  such  numbers  as  to  be  more  numerous 
than  our  own  People  that  are  present.  This  is  an  in- 
dication that  their  prejudices  against  the  Church  abate 
in  this  Place,  as  I  believe  they  do  throughout  the 
Country  in  general,  notwithstanding  all  the  Arts  that 
are  used  to  keep  them  up  and  increase  them.  I  have 
since  my  last  baptised  two  Adults  of  which  one  was  a 
Black  and  20  Infants  in  my  Mission  and  6  in  the  County 
of  Sussex,  but  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  in  so  long  a  time 
I  have  had  but  one  new  Communicant. 

In  April  last  at  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Council 
of  Proprietors  of  East  Jersey  at  Amboy,  I  waited 
upon  that  Board  and  presented  a  Memorial  of  the 
Religious  State  of  the  Country  and  a  Bequest  in  be- 
half of  the  members  of  the  Church  &  obtained  an 
unanimous  vote  for  granting  them  200  Acres  to  be 
located  on  such  undivided  Land  as  we  should  choose. 
I  have  also  applied  to  some  other  gentlemen  who  have 
large  tracts  of  Land  in  the  Country  and  have  from 
them  the  promise  of  further  grants.  Thus  there  is  a 
fair  prospect  of  securing  to  the  Church  a  considerable 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  149 

Landed  Estate,  which  in  the  course  of  20  or  30  years 
with  good  management  will  probably  afford  a  comfort- 
able support  for  a  Clergyman,  altho'  for  the  present  no 
material  benefit  can  be  expected  from  it. 

I  know  not  how  to  conclude  without  saying  a  few 
words  on  the  subject  of  converting  our  Indians.  The 
necessity  of  some  more  general  attempts  for  this  pur- 
pose becomes  every  day  more  evident,  whether  the 
case  be  viewed  in  a  religious  or  political  light.  Dr. 
Cooper  and  Mr.  Inglis  lately  took  a  Journey  to  Sir 
W.  Johnson  in  order  to  have  an  opportunity  of  a  full 
and  free  conversation  with  him  on  the  subject,  the 
result  of  which  they  have  transmitted  to  the  Society. 
It  will  undoubtedly  be  difficult  at  first  to  find  proper 
persons  to  engage  in  such  a  service ;  but  the  greatest 
difficulty  of  all  I  apprehend  will  be  to  support  them. 
If  the  nation  will  not  contribute  to  so  good  a  work  I 
beg  leave  humbly  to  suggest  whether  it  might  not  be 
proper  for  the  Society  to  erect  a  separate  Fund  for 
this  use  :  whether  a  Brief  might  not  be  obtained  for  a 
General  Collection  throughout  the  Kingdom,  the  In- 
come of  which,  when  put  out  upon  Interest  shall  be 
appropriated  to  the  use  of  converting  the  American 
Heathens :  and  whether  it  is  not  probable  that  this  with 
such  benefactions  as  might  be  annually  expected  would 
be  sufficient  to  support  as  many  Missionaries,  Catechists 
and  School  Teachers  as  the  Society  now  maintains 
in  Nova  Scotia.  If  such  a  number  could  be  employed 
much  success  might  be  expected  ;  at  least  a  fair  Trial 

13* 


150         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

would  be  made  of  what  can  be  done;  and  a  very  great 
National  reproach  would  in  some  measure  be  removed. 
Whether  &  how  far  such  a  scheme  would  impoverish 
the  Society's  General  Fund,  for  "the  maintenance  of  a 
learned  and  Orthodox  Clergy"  in  His  Majesty's  "Plan- 
tations and  Colonies"  deserves  to  be  well  considered. 
These  brief  intimations  are  offered  with  the  greatest 
deference  by 

Keverend  Sir  &c 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 

Dr.  Chandler  in  a  letter  from  Elizabeth  Town  dated 
June  24  ItH  after  alluding  to  Missions  in  general  as 
conducted  by  the  Society  and  to  the  importance  of 
sustaining  their  posts,  says; 

"As  to  my  own  Mission  it  has  afforded  nothing 
worthy  of  particular  notice  since  my  last  account. 
The  Church  here  is  as  respectable  as  in  any  Town  in 
this  Province.  If  its  members  do  not  encrease  by  the 
Conformity  of  Dissenters,  yet  it  may  be  truly  said,  that 
many  of  the  latter  discover  a  more  favorable  disposi- 
tion than  formerly,  and  come  much  more  frequently  to 
Church  on  particular  occasions.  In  the  course  of  the 
last  half  year  I  have  Christened  18  Infants  and  1 
Adult  after  previous  instruction  and  have  admitted  3 
new  Communicants. 

Mr.  Inglis  is  now  in  great  forwardness  with  the 
Memorial  in  behalf  of  the  Indians,  which  Sir  William 
Johnson  is  to  sign  and  send  to  the  Lords  of  Trade 


HISTORY  OP  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  151 

and  Plantations,  in  the  manner  which  you  have  been 
so  kind  as  to  recommend.  The  motives  that  are  urged 
in  favor  of  the  plan  are  chiefly  of  a  political  kind,  as 
considerations  of  a  Keligious  nature,  it  is  feared  will 
have  little  weight,  at  this  day,  with  those  who  direct 
our  public  affairs  ;  although  the  latter  were  thought  to 
be  not  unworthy  of  the  attention  of  Politicians  in 
former  ages.  Enough  has  already  appeared  to  con- 
vince unprejudiced  persons,  that  it  would  have  been 
true  and  sound  policy  with  regard  to  America  at  least, 
if  the  Nation  had  paid  greater  attention  to  the  Interest 
of  Religion  and  the  Church  of  England  in  the  Colonies 
than  it  has  hitherto  done ;  and  perhaps  proofs  still 
more  strong  and  convincing  may  in  time,  be  seen. 
The  Dissenters  in  this  Country  in  general  to  say  no- 
thing of  their  principles  have  evidently  too  much  of  a 
Republican  Spirit,  which  is  always  infectious  and  in 
proportion  as  this  prevails.  Loyalty,  as  a  ihatter  of 
duty  must  and  will  fail.  The  present  dangerous  Re- 
bellion in  North  Carolina  could  never  have  happened 
but  in  a  part  of  the  Country  where  the  principles  of 
the  Church  of  England  were  but  little  known  and 
never  properly  taught." 

May  20th  1774,  Dr.  Chandler,  in  connexion  with  the 
Rev.  Messrs.  Preston  and  Beach,  addresses  the  Society 
in  behalf  of  the  ''Mission  of  Trenton"  accompanying 
the  letter  with  a  statement  from  the  Church  Wardens 
of  the  condition  of  the  field,  and  urging  a  continuance 
of  the  Society's  bounty  to  that  place. 


152         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  Records  of  the  Propagation  Society  for  n*73-4 
state,  '^The  Congregation  at  Elizabeth  Town  one  of 
the  largest  and  most  respectable  in  the  Province  con- 
tinues to  flourish  under  the  instruction  of  their  most 
able  pastor.  And  there  is  now  a  fair  prospect  of  its. 
farther  increase  from  an  enlargement  of  the  Church, 
which  hath  long  been  wished  and  projected  and  is  on 
the  eve  of  accomplishment."  The  number  of  Com- 
municants at  this  time  was  TS,  and  there  were  8  added 
within  the  year. 

In  ltt4  Dr.  Chandler  informs  the  Society,  ''that 
instead  of  enlarging  the  old  Church  at  Elizabeth  Town, 
his  congregation  have  begun  to  build  a  new  one  of  85 
feet  by  50  with  an  expectation  of  its  being  completed 
before  the  end  of  1*7*74.  The  number  of  Communi- 
cants is  about  80."  (Abstract  of  Society's  Report  for 
in4-5). 

Dr.  Chandler  writes  to  the  Society  from 

"  Elizabeth  Town  Jan'y  28  1774. 
Yery  Reverend  and  Worthy  Sir, 

I  am  honored  with  your  favor  of  Sept'r.  17  by  Mr. 
Ogden ;  and  am  much  obliged  to  the  Society  for  the 
kindness  they  have  shown  him,  as  I  am  also  to  you  for 
the  many  good  offices,  which  he  acknowledges  himself 
to  be  under  great  obligation  to  you  for.  Upon  his 
arrival  he  soon  hasted  to  his  Mission ;  where  I  doubt 
not  but  he  will  deserve  and  receive  every  mark  of  re- 
spect and  gratitude  which  it  is  in  the  power  of  that 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHUECH.  153 

poor  people  to  bestow.  I  cannot  but  look  upon  his 
establishment  in  Sussex  County  as  a  considerable  ac- 
quisition to  the  Church  in  this  Province,  and  am  happy 
in  the  reflection  that  I  have  been  instrumental  in 
bringing  him  forward,  when  he  was  but  little  known  by 
our  clergy  and  when  his  want  of  a  regular  Education 
was  an  obstacle,  which  required  the  greatest  care  and 
resolution  to  surmount.  I  was  at  first  diffident  of  the 
attempt,  but  every  step  opened  a  fairer  prospect  of 
success,  and  now  I  have  that  confidence  in  him,  that  I 
would  almost  venture  to  become  a  Sponsor,  for  his 
being  as  useful  a  Clergyman  as  any  in  New  Jersey. 

The  Church  in  this  Province  makes  a  more  respect- 
able appearance  than  it  ever  did,  'till  very  lately: 
Thanks  to  the  Venerable  Society !  without  whose 
charitable  interposition  there  would  not  have  been  one 
Episcopal  Congregation  among  us.  They -have  now 
no  less  than  Eleven  Missionaries  in  this  District;  none 
of  whom  are  blameable  in  their  conduct,  and  some  of 
them  are  eminently  useful.  Instead  of  the  small  build- 
ings out  of  repair  in  which  our  Congregations  used  to 
assemble  20  years  ago,  we  have  now  several  that  make 
a  handsome  appearance,  both  for  size  and  decent  orna- 
ment; particularly  at  Burlington,  Shrewsbury,  New 
Brunswick  and  Newark  and  all  the  rest  are  in  good 
repair:  and  the  Congregations  in  general  appear  to 
me  to  be  as  much  improved  as  the  Churches  they  as- 
semble in . 

Rev'd  Sir  &c. 

THOMAS  B.  CHANDLER." 


154         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 


CHAPTER,    YIII. 

1775 — Dr.  Chandler  leaves  for  England — Revolutionary  war — De- 
plorable state  of  the  Parish  of  St.  John's — Church  a  Stable — 
Cemetery  desecrated — Organ  pipes  converted  into  bullets — Im- 
position on  the  congregation — Letters  from  Rev.  Abraham  Beach 
— From  New  Brunswick — Services  at  E.  Town — Mr.  Ogden  sup- 
plies St.  John's — Dr.  Chandler's  return — Estimation  in  which  he 
was  held — Dr.  Murray's  account — Dr.  Chandler's  death,  in  1790 
— Church  repaired,  gallery  re-built — Mr.  Spraggs  called  to  the 
Rectorship — Collection  of  scattered  property  of  the  church — Cor- 
respondence with  Mr.  Ogden — Salary  of  Rector  increased — Mr. 
Rayner's  ministry — Sale  of  Kyte  lot — Mr.  Beasely's  election — 
New  vestry  room — Rev.  Samuel  Lilly's  ministry — Dr.  Rudd's 
rectorship — Mrs.  Spraggs'  legacy — Rev.  Smith  Pyne — Rev.  B.  S. 
Noble — Rev.  R.  C.  Moore — Enlargement  of  church — Zeal  of  the 
ladies  of  the  congregation — Grace  Church,  Elizabeth  Port,  its 
formation,  &c. — Christ  Church  organised,  buildings  erected,  &g. 
— Mr.  Moore's  resignation — Church  as  at  present. 

The  Abstract  of  the  Propagation  Society's  records 
for  IttS-G  states  that,  "Dr.  Chandler  their  worthy 
Missionary  at  Elizabeth  Town  found  it  prudent  to 
withdraw  from  the  surrounding  troubles  and  to  seek 
refuge  in  England."  The  Parish  Register  contains 
this  note;  "The  Revolutionary  War  commencing  in 
1115,  and  Dr.  Chandler  being  greatly  indisposed  and 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOUN'S  CHURCH.  155 

desirous  of  obtaining  medical  Assistance  the  Church 
of  St.  John  in  Elizabeth  Town  was  destitute  of  a 
regular  Minister  till  Dr.  Chandler's  return  after  the 
peace."  Dr.  Rudd  in  his  Historical  IS'otice  of  the 
Church  (1824)  makes  these  interesting  records, 

"In  n75,  the  affairs  of  the  Revolution  became  the 
general  subject  of  interest  and  feeling.  All  eyes  were 
looking  to  the  event  with  solicitude,  and  all  hearts 
w^ere  engaged  in  the  agonizing  concern.  Dr.  Chandler 
found  his  situation  painful  and  unpleasant,  as  well 
from  the  active  part  which  he  deemed  it  his  duty  to 
take,  as  from  the  violent  feeling  generally  entertained 
ao-ainst  the  Church  of  which  he  was  a  minister.  These 
considerations  induced  him  to  leave  the  colonies  and 
go  to  England ;  where  he  remained  during  the  whole 
of  that  painful  struggle,  and  for  several  years  after.* 

"  The  war  of  the  Revolution  had  a  melancholy  and 
ruinous  effect  upon  the  concerns  of  our  communion. 
The  Church  of  England  being  connected  with  the 
State  government  of  that  country,  and  the  circum- 
stance that  the  Clergy  of  that  Church  were  bound  by 
the  oath  of  conformity  and  allegiance,  to  support  and 
defend  the  measures  of  the  crown,  led  all  the  common 
people  to  believe,  and  all  the  prejudiced  partizans  of 
popular  government  to  maintain,  that  a  Churchman, 
and  a  foe  to  American  liberty,  were  synonymous 
terms.     This,   of  course,  produced  a   strong  feeling 

*  See  Appendix  C. 


156         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

wherever  tlie  Church  was  known,  the  effect  of  which 
was  to  bring  odium  on  our  communion,  and  to  induce 
many  to  believe  that  they  were  doing  God  service  by 
promoting  her  ruin.  This  idea  was  carried  so  far  at 
the  time  this  building  was  erected,  that  it  was  neces- 
sary for  the  friends  of  the  Church,  with  swords  in  their 
hands,  to  watch  the  walls  by  night,  in  order  to  prevent 
the  work  of  the  preceding  day  from  being  destroyed ; 
a  circumstance  which  occurred  several  times."* 

^c  ?te  jk  jk  jjj  ili 

"  During  the  Revolution  the  state  of  the  parish  was 
truly  deplorable.  These  walls  resounded  not  with  the 
voice  of  prayer  or  praise.  For  many  years,  no  servant 
of  the  altar  uttered  the  language  of  the  Liturgy ;  no 
exposition  of  the  terms  of  salvation  was  heard  from 
the  pulpit ;  no  consecrated  bread  was  broken  at  the 
altar ;  no  cup  of  blessing  was  offered  to  the  people. 
Of  the  members  of  the  congregation  that  remained, 
some  kept  up  their  attachments  and  their  sense  of 
duty,  by  meeting  at  the  parsonage,  and  perhaps  at 
other  places,  where  the  service  was  read  by  some  suit- 
able person  on  Sundays,  when  the  state  of  things 
would  permit  sufficient  quietness.  As  the  town  was 
sometimes  occupied  by  the  troops  of-  England,  and  at 
others  by  the  colonial  forces,  it  was  naturally  to  be 

*  "  This  information  was  received  from  Gen.  Williamson, 
and  from  Mrs.  Hylton,  a  lady  of  distinguislied  piety,  who 
died  in  1810,  at  the  age  of  92  years." 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  15T 

expected  that  every  thing  would  be  exposed  to  depre- 
dation and  violence.  This  little  Church  had  its  full 
share  of  the  evil.  The  fences  of  the  grave  yard,  like 
many  others,  were  demolished,  removed  and  burnt. 
Thus  the  enclosure  for  protecting  the  repository  of  the 
dead,  lay  open  to  the  range  of  beasts,  and  the  unhal- 
lowed movements  of  men  little  better  than  they.  The 
head-stones  of  graves  became  fire  places  at  which  the 
soldier  dressed  his  homely  meal,  while  larger  monu- 
ments served  as  tables  at  which  he  partook  of  his 
frugal  fare.  While  all  around  this  edifice  were  marks 
of  wasting  and  destruction,  the  interior  exhibited  a 
scene  of  ruin  not  less  distressing,  to  those  who  loved 
the  courts  of  the  Lord's  house,  and  delighted  in  the 
worship  of  his  temple.  Almost  the  whole  of  the  in- 
side work  was  destroyed ;  the  seats  and  floor  were  all 
torn  up  and  burned,  and  two  attempts  to  burn  the 
building  by  putting  fire  under  the  pulpit,  were  provi- 
dentially defeated.  The  organ  then  in  the  Church 
was  demolished,  and  the  metal  pipes  were  converted 
into  balls  for  the  work  of  death.  The  bell  was  saved 
from  similar  treatment  by  the  circumstance  that  no 
mode  of  easy  access  to  it  could  be  had.  The  dragoon 
who  tethered  his  horse  by  day  upon  the  graves  of  the 
dead,  led  him  by  night  within  these  walls,  for  a  shelter 
from  the  storm.  Such  was  the  melancholy  aspect  of 
the  temporal  affairs  of  this  parish  at  the  termination 
of  the  war. 

"When  the  violence  of  the  revolutionary  struggle 
14 


158         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

was  somewhat  abated  in  this  vicinity,  and  the  people 
began  to  think  of  resuming  their  accustomed  pursuits, 
they  attempted  to  revive  their  ecclesiastical  concerns. 
-About  the  year  1719  or  1780,  the  congregation  began 
to  assemble  in  a  private  house,  the  Church  being  unfit 
for  public  worship.  At  this  time  they  were  imposed 
on  by  an  artful  man,  who  pretended  to  hold  the  sacred 
office,  and  for  a  time  acted  as  a  Clergyman  here.  Be- 
fore his  fraud  and  hypocrisy  were  detected,  the  people 
of  the  congregation  had  in  some  measure  repaired  the 
s^ats  of  the  Church  ;  but  the  precise  time  when  it  was 
re-opened  for  divine  service  does  not  appear.  The 
impostor  was  soon  after  exposed,  and  fled  from  the 
odium  which  he  had  brought  upon  himself,  and  the 
punishment  which  his  offence  deserved.  The  Church 
for  some  time  had  occasional  services  by  the  neighbor- 
ing Clergy,  especially  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ogden." 

A  letter  from  the  Rev.  Abraham  Beach  to  the 
Secretary  of  the  Propagation  Society  gives  some  infor- 
mation in  reference  to  the  Church.  The  following  is 
an  extract  dated, 

"  New  Brunswick  24  March  1780. 

Reverend  Sir, 

By  a  flag  of  Truce  going  to  New  York  I  have  an 
opportunity  just  to  acquaint  the  Society  that  I  still 
remain  at  this  place  and  continue  to  perform  my  duty 
as  their  Missionary  in  the  same  manner  I  did  when  I 
wrote  last,  which  was  on  the  4th  July  1778.     Since 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  159 

which  time  I  have  baptized  in  my  own  Mission  23  and 
buried  4.  At  Shrewsbury  baptized  6  and  buried  one. 
At  Spotswood  baptized  18.  At  Elizabeth  Town  bap- 
tized 10  and  buried  8.  At  Woodbridge  baptized  2 
and  at  Chatham  3.  /wish  it  was  in  my  power  to  be 
more  regular  and  more  particular  in  my  correspond- 
ence with  the  Society,  but  that  the  present  unhappy 
contest  effectually  prevents ;  however  they  may  be 
assured  that  I  shall  always  endeavour  not  to  disgrace 
the  character  of  a  Clergyman  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, and  as  the  Society''s  Missionary  to  visit  every 
vacant  Parish  however  remote  from  my  own,  where  I 
may  be  invited  to  baptize  their  children  and  bury  their 
dead." 

Under  date  of  New  Brunswick  Oct.  1st,  1*782  Mr. 
Beach  again  alludes  to  services  held  by  him  in  St. 
John's  Church,  and  speaks  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
Congregation  was  kept  together  in  the  absence  of  their 
minister. 

"Rev.  Sir, 

In  my  letter  of  the  4th  of  Jan'y  last  I  acquainted 
the  Society  that  I  opened  the  Church  at  this  place  on 
Christmas  day  and  gave  my  reasons  for  doing  it :  I 
have  now  the  pleasure  to  assure  them  that  the  measure 
hath  fully  answered  my  expectation.  The  Members  of 
our  Church  throughout  the  Province  express  the 
highest  satisfaction  in  seeing  the  service  again  intro- 


IGO         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

duced  amongst  them.  From  almost  all  the  Yestries  I 
have  received  pressing  Invitations  to  officiate  amongst 
them  as  often  as  my  duty  in  my  own  Mission  vi^ould 
permit ;  I  have  accordingly  preached  3  times  at  Eliza- 
hetlt  Toivn,  baptized  there  11  children  and  Adminis- 
tered the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  near  40 
Communicants.  At  this  place  the  Congregation  meet 
regularly  on  Sundays  and  one  of  them  reads  Prayers 
and  a  Sermon.  I  cannot  but  think  this  practice  ad- 
visable in  other  Congregations  which  are  at  present 
destitute  of  a  Minister ;  especially  in  these  times  of 
uncommon  and  general  depravity,  when  our  Church  as 
well  as  Religion  in  general  labours  under  so  many 
difficulties  and  discouragements ;  I  propose  therefore 
to  recommend  their  example  to  those  other  Congrega- 
tions which  are  vacant  and  where  a  person  of  suitable 
character  can  be  procured  amongst  them. 

I  am  &c. 

ABRAHAM  BEACH." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Rudd  says;  ''After  the  conclusion  of 
peace,  in  1183,  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  addressed  Dr. 
Chandler,  then  in  England,  on  the  subject  of  his  re- 
turn, and  requested  him  to  resume  the  duties  of  the 
rectorship.  To  this  request  the  answer  was,  that  he 
had  not  been  able  to  make  up  his  mind  as  to  the 
course  he  should  ultimately  find  it  his  duty  to  pursue ; 
but  from  the  state  of  his  health  it  was  not  at  all  pro- 
bable that  he  could  discharge  the  duties  required  by 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  161 

the  parish.  Still  the  Yestry  did  not  think  proper  to 
appoint  another  Rector,  though  they  made  arrange- 
ments with  Mr.  Ogden  for  his  services  half  the  time. 
In  this  way  the  Church  was  supplied  until  the  year 
1789. 

"  Dr.  Chandler  returned  to  his  residence  here  in 
1Y85,  having  been  absent  from  his  family  and  congre- 
gation ten  years ;  and  though  his  health  was  so  much 
impaired  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  his  perform- 
ing the  duties  of  his  office,  the  Yestry  requested  him 
to  hold  the  rectorship  as  long  as  he  lived.  This  was 
not  only  highly  gratifying  to  him,  but  substantial  evi- 
dence of  their  high  opinion.  In  1790,  the  labours  and 
sufferings  of  this  able  divine  and  scholar  were  closed 
by  death ;  and  his  grave  is  here  in  the  body  of  this 
Church,  to  which  he  had  devoted  his  time  and  his 
talents.*     In  reference  to  the  latter,  it  was  said  by  the 

*  A  mural  tablet  placed  on  the  East  wall  of  tlie  Church 
bears  this  inscription 

COMMEMORATIVE. 

The  Rev.  T.  B.  Chandler  D.  D 

who  was  38  years  Rector  of  this  Church, 

died  June  17  1790;  aged  64  years. 

Jane  Chandler,  his  wife 
died  Sept.  20,  1801 ;  aged  68  years. 

Their  Children 

William  Chandler 

died  in  England  Oct.  22  1784  aged  28  years. 

14* 


162         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

first  Bishop  ever  consecrated  for  America,  that  '  no 
man  in  this  country  could  mend  his  pen.'  As  an  evi- 
dence of  the  high  opinion  entertained  of  him  in  Eng- 
land, the  society  of  which  frequent  mention  has  been 
made,  contrary  to  their  usual  practice,  but  through 
powerful  influence,  headed  by  his  warm  personal  friend, 
Arch-Bishop  Moore,  allowed  an  honorable  stipend  to 
his  family."* 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Murray  in  his  Notes  concerning  Eliza- 
beth Town  thus  speaks  of  Dr.  Chandler's  ministry  &c. 
"  Dr.  Chandler,  on  the  commencement  of  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  felt  it  his  duty  to  oppose  the  measures 
necessary  to  secure  our  independence.  From  the 
active  part  which  he  and  some  members  of  his  family 
took,  he  soon  found  his  situation  very  uncomfortable, 
and  he  retired  to  England,  where  he  remained  until 

Mary  R.  Chandler 

died  June  28  1784  aged  22  years. 

Elizabeth  C.  Dayton,  wife  of  E.  B.  Dayton ; 

died  Nov.  6  1806  :  aged  41  years. 

Mary  G.  Hobart,  relict  of  tlie  Rt.  Rev.  J.  H.  Hobart 

died  April  4  1847 ;  aged  72  years. 

*  "  Dr.  Chandler,  at  liis  death,  left  three  daughters,  one  of 
whom  was  the  wife  of  Gen.  E.  B.  Dayton.  She  died  in  1806. 
Another  is  the  wife  of  William  Dayton,  Esq.  The  youngest 
married  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bp.  Hobart,  who  presides  with  great 
advantage  to  the  Church,  and  honor  to  himself,  over  the  ex- 
tensive diocese  of  New  York."  Mrs.  Wm.  Dayton  still  sur- 
vives. 


HISTORY  OF  ST,  JOIIN's  CHURCH.  163 

the  close  of  the  war,  and  for  some  years  after.  He 
returned  here  in  1785  and  died  in  1790.  His  was  a 
protracted  and  very  able  ministry,  and  Dr.  Chandler's 
name  will  long  be  known  and  revered  as  one  of  the 
fathers  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  New  Jersey.* 
During  the  war  of  the  Revolution  this  Congregation 
was  greatly  scattered,  and  became  much  enfeebled. 
The  interior  of  the  Church  was  all  destroyed,  the  pews 
and  floors  were  torn  up  and  burned,  and  the  building 
was  converted  into  a  stable  by  the  enemy.  It  was, 
however,  soon  repaired  after  the  close  of  the  war,  and 
was  for  some  time  the  only  Church  for  the  worship  of 
God  in  the  town.  And  after  its  repair,  and  before  the 
return  of  Dr.  Chandler  and  for  some  time  afterwards. 
Dr.  Ogden  preached  in  it  with  great  power  and  effect. 
Dr.  Ogden  subsequently  became  a  Minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church." 

The  Yestry  March  9th  1786  passed  the  following 
resolutions,  as  appears  from  their  Record, 

Agreed  that  the  Seats  below  stairs  be  built  up  and 
repaired  at  the  Expence  of  the  Church,  and  be  by  the 
Church  disposed  of  in  the  best  manner  for  the  peace 
advantage  and  good  order  of  the  Church. 

Agreed  that  William  Townley  do  build  up  and  re- 
pair the  seats  below  stairs  and  such  other  small  repairs 
as  may  be  necessary, — as  soon  as  may  be. 

That  on  Easter  Monday  next  the  Seats  of  the 
Church  be  regulated  and  disposed  of.     And  on  the 

*  See  Appendix,  B. 


164         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

same  day  Deputies  to  attend  the  State  Convention 
should  be  appointed- 
April  9th  lt87  "  The  Congregation  agreed  that  the 
Steeple  should  be  immediately  repaired.  That  the 
Seats  in  the  Gallery  be  rebuilt  and  the  whole  put  in 
good  repair ;  and  that  the  seats  below  should  be 
painted  and  numbered."     {Vestry  Records.) 

On  the  30th  of  December  ItSt,  the  term  for  which 
the  Reverend  Mr.  Ogden  was  engaged  to  preach  and 
perform  divine  service,  being  near  expiring,  a  Commit- 
tee was  appointed  to  confer  with  him  on  the  terms  of 
a  further  continuance  of  his  services  to  the  Church. 
It  was  subsequently  arranged  that  Mr.  Ogden  should 
officiate  every  other  Sunday  in  St.  John's  Church,  and 
receive  for  his  services  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds 
for  the  term  of  one  year.  On  Easter  Monday  April 
13  nSQ  it  is  recorded  that ;  "  The  Congregation  find- 
ing by  Experience  that  the  Church  does  not  flourish  in 
that  degree  they  could  wish,  under  a  Minister  who 
does  not  reside  in  the  Town,  and  whose  appointment 
for  the  performance  of  Divine  Service  is  only  for  one 
half  of  his  time ;  have  therefore  unanimously  agreed 
to  Call  the  Reverend  Mr.  Spraggs  to  become  a 
Resident  Minister  of  our  Church,  and  constantly  to 
officiate  therein — and  therefore  Messrs  Williamson, 
Thomas  and  Jno.  Burrows,  were  appointed  to  corres- 
pond with  him  on  this  Subject. 

The  Yestry  met  in  the  afternoon  at  the  House  of 
Mr.  D'Hart.  Present,  Matthias  Williamson,  Edward 
Thomas,  Wardens ;  Vestrymen  John  Hendricks,  Jno. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  165 

D'Hart,  Wm.  Garlhwait,  Wm.  Townlcy,  Edward 
Townley,  Danl.  Terrill. 

Messrs.  Williamson,  Chetwood,  D'Hart,  Ricketts, 
Thomas  and  John  Hunt,  or  any  of  them,  were  ap- 
pointed to  meet  the  Convention  of  the  Church  of  this 
State  to  be  held  in  this  Town  in  June  next. 

On  motion  resolved  unanimously,  that  it  is  the 
opinion  of  this  Board,  that  the  Union  of  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America, 
is  necessary  for  its  prosperity,  and  ought  to  be  pro- 
moted by  all  Episcopalians.  And  that  the  delegates 
appointed  to  represent  this  Church  in  the  next  State 
Convention,  be  instructed  to  propose  and  move,  that 
the  Delegates  of  this  State  to  the  next  General  Con- 
vention, be  instructed  to  move  for  and  promote  a 
Coalition  and  Union  of  all  Protestant  Bishops  in  said 
States,  and  that  the  Government,  Rules  and  Orders  of 
the  Church  throughout  the  same,  may  be  continued 
similar  and  consonant  as  near  as  may  be,  to  the 
Government,  Rules  and  Orders  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Great  Britain. 

Agreed  that  Mr.  Hendricks  be  requested  to  call  on 
Mr.  Shute  for  the  Marble  Font  belonging  to  the 
Church,  said  to  be  in  his  possession,  and  that  he  take 
the  same  under  his  care  and  charge. 

That  Mr.  Hendricks  and  Mr.  Dennis,  do  wait  on 
Mr.  Justice  Ballard,  and  agree  with  him  on  the  Terms 
of  his  holding  a  part  of  the  Church  Ground,  lying 
contiguous  to  his  House,  and  make  report  thereof  to 


166         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

the  Secretary  of  this  Board,  who  is  requested  to  pre- 
pare proper  Writings  to  be  enter'd  into  on  that  occa- 
sion. 

The  Secretary  of  this  Board  is  requested  to  collect 
all  Deeds,  Records,  Books  and  Papers  whatsoever 
respecting  the  Freehold  Estate  of  this  Church,  and 
take  the  same  under  his  charge. 

Intimation  having  been  given  unto  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Ogden,  of  the  desire  of  the  Congregation  to  call 
a  Minister  to  reside  in  this  Town, — who  shall  devote 
the  whole  of  his  time  to  the  Service  of  our  Church, 
he  was  pleased  to  favor  the  Yestry  with  the  following 
Letter, 

Newark  lltli  April  1789. 
Gentlemen 

If  an  opportunity  offers  to  obtain  a  Clergyman  of 
Sincere  Piety,  who  will  devote  the  whole  of  his  time 
to  the  Service  of  your  Church,  I  desire  the  Congrega- 
tion may  be  informed,  that  it  is  my  wish,  that  no 
Member  whatever  of  the  Congregation,  in  any  part, 
on  my  account,  should  refuse  to  concur  in  any  measure 
that  you  shall  think  will  promote  the  prosperity  of 
your  Church. 

That  Unity,   peace  and  true  Religion  may  dwell 
among  you,  is  the  sincere  and  ardent  Prayer 
of  Gentlemen,  your  Friend 

and  very  humble  Servant 

UZAL  OGDEN. 
To  THE  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of 

St.  John's  Church  in  Elizabeth  Town. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  161 

Tbe  Wardens  and  vestrymen  of  the  church  met  on 
the  first  day  of  January,  1191  and  "appointed  the 
Reverend  Samuel  Spraggs,  Rector  of  the  said  Church 
in  the  room  and  stead  of  the  Reverend  Doctor  Thomas 
Bradbury  Chandler  deceased,  And  a  Testimonial  of 
said  Appointment  (being  drawn  up)  was  signed  by  the 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen  and  the  Secretary  was  order- 
ed to  affix  the  Seal  of  the  Corporation  thereto,  record 
and  deliver  the  same  to  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Spraggs."  A 
certified  copy  of  this  document  is  contained  in  the 
Records  of  the  Yestry. 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Wardens  and  Yestry,  on  St. 
Stephen's  day  1191,  Ordered  that  the  monies  arising 
from  the  charitable  Contributions  of  the  Church  be 
always  hereafter  paid  into  the  hands  of  the  Rector,  to 
be  distributed  among  such  objects  belonging  to  the 
Church,  as  he  shall  think  proper." 

In  1193,  ''The  Congregation  taking  into  considera- 
tion the  present  Salary  of  the  Rector,  and  being 
unanimously  of  opinion  that  the  present  Salary  of  One 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  is  not  sufficient  for  the 
decent  support  of  the  Rector  of  this  Church — There- 
fore it  is  unanimously  voted  and  agreed  that  the  Salary 
be  augmented  to  One  hundred  and  fifty  pounds." 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Spraggs  died  in  the  Rectorship  of  St. 
John's  Church  in  the  year  1194.*     Dr.  Rudd  says; 

*  A  tablet  on  the  East  Wall  of  the  Church  has  been  erected 
to  his  memory,  bearing  this  inscription 


168         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

''  Mr.  Spraggs  was  an  affectionate  and  useful  pastor, 
and  enjoyed  the  confidence  and  regard  of  his  flock, 
with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  affable  and  cordial  in- 
tercourse. His  death  was  severe,  as  it  was  unexpected, 
and  the  paucity  of  Clergy  in  our  Church  rendered  the 
filling  of  his  place  well,  an  object  of  no  easy  attain- 
ment. The  pious  and  amiable  widow  of  this  worthy 
Clergyman,  who  died  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in 
1821,  cherished  for  this  parish  a  strong  regard,  and  in 
her  will  left  a  legacy  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
to  the  parish." 

Mr.  Rayner  was  solicited  to  become  Kector  of  the 
Church  in  1195;  he  resigned  the  Rectorship  in  1801 
and  removed  from  the  State.  In  the  year  1824  he 
was  the  Rector  of  a  parish  in  Connecticut. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Wardens  and  Yestry  Sept.  5th 
1801  ;  "It  was  stated  that  as  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Rayner 
is  about  to  leave  this  Town  and  Church  it  is  necessary 
that  proper  measures  should  be  taken  to  supply  his 

Sacred 

to  the  Memory 

of  tlie  Rev.  Samuel  Spraggs 

wlio  succeeded  to  tlie  Rectorsliiji  of  tliis 

Cliurch  in  1790,  died  Sept.  7,  1794 : 

Aged  47  years. 

Mary  Spraggs 

Lis  wife 

died  June  27,  1821  ; 

Aged  86  years. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  169 

place  as  Rector.  It  was  also  stated  that  the  Rev'd 
Mr.  Beasley  a  young  ClergymaQ  who  had  just  taken 
orders  in  the  Church  and  is  highly  recommended  by 
the  friends  of  this  Congregation  is  now  in  Town,  that 
in  all  probability  he  is  disengaged  and  would  accept 
a  call  from  this  Congregation,  if  immediate  application 
is  made. 

Whereupon  on  motion,  It  was  Resolved  that  Messrs. 
Matthias  Williamson,  James  Ricketts,  Matthias  Wil- 
liamson Junr.  Richardson  Gray  and  Robinson  Thomas 
be  appointed  a  Committee  to  wait  on  the  Rev'd  Mr. 
Beasley  and  offer  him  the  sum  of  Two  hundred  and 
fifty  pounds  a  year  Salary  so  long  as  he  shall  ofiRciate 
as  minister  provided  he  will  accept  the  call  of  the 
Congregation. 

On  motion  resolved  that  the  Corporation  of  this 
Church  do  dispose  of  and  sell  the  Kite  lot  situate  on 
the  Road  leading  to  Rahway  and  that  Messrs.  Robin- 
son Thomas  and  Richardson  Gray  be  a  committee  to 
sell  the  same.  In  February  1802  a  Committee  was 
appointed  "  to  wait  on  the  Rev'd  Mr.  Beasley  and 
make  the  necessary  arrangements  with  him,  in  order  to 
his  being  regularly  settled  as  the  Minister  of  this 
Church."  On  the  ITth  of  August  of  the  same  year  it 
was ;  "  Ordered  and  Resolved  that  a  Yestry  Room 
shall  be  erected  in  the  place  where  such  room  formerly 
was,  and  that  Mr.  Williamson  the  Church  Warden  do 
appropriate  so  much  money  as  is  necessary  from  the 
15 


no         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

fuDcl  ill  bis  hands  arising  from  the  Collections,  in  order 
to  carry  the  said  resolution  into  effect." 

In  1803  on  Easter  Monday  Committees  were  ap- 
pointed to  raise  funds  for  repairing  the  Church.  June 
5th  1803  the  Rev'd  Frederick  Beasley  having  accepted 
a  call  to  the  rectorship  of  St.  Peter's  Church  Albany, 
resigned  that  of  St.  John's.  Mr.  B.  was  subsequently 
Rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Baltimore,  and  Provost  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  closed  his  useful 
life  on  earth,  at  Elizabethtown  in  1845. 

August  28th  1803  the  Rev.  Samuel  Lilly  was  elected 
to  the  Rectorship,  which  he  resigned  April  30th  1805, 
serving  the  Congregation  somewhat  less  than  two 
years. 

In  December  1805  the  Rev.  John  Churchill  Rudd 
took  charge  of  the  Parish  and  was  instituted  in  the 
month  of  May  following.  In  the  Sermon  which  Dr. 
Rudd  preached  November  21st  1824,  to  which  allusion 
has  frequently  been  made  he  says;  "When  he  who 
addresses  you  became  your  Minister,  the  number  of 
attendants  upon  public  worship,  for  a  considerable 
time,  seldom  amounted  to  100.  The  present  number 
of  souls  within  the  parish  is  more  than  350,  and  the 
ordinary  congregation  may  be  stated  at  200,  though 
we  frequently  see  here  a  quarter  more.  In  1805  the 
number  of  communicants  was  60.  The  present  num- 
ber is  100,  who  actually  belong  to  this  altar,  though 
the  number  present  at  any  celebration  of  the  eucharist 
does  not  very  often  exceed  80.     During  the  time  of 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOIIN'S  CHURCH.  HI 

the  present  rectorship,  there  have  been  3t9  baptisms 
and  96  marriages.  The  number  of  burials  has  been 
225  :  and  if  from  this  amount  we  deduct  at  least  one 
third  for  those  who  have  been  interred  here,  not  con- 
sidered as  members  of  the  congregation,  it  will  give 
less  than  8  as  the  average  annual  number  of  deaths  ;  a 
proof  of  the  general  health  of  this  vicinity.  Of  the 
communicants  found  here  in  1805,  there  are  about 
twenty  remaining  ;  some  of  the  rest  have  removed,  but 
the  most  have  died. 

The  Church,  at  the  time  just  referred  to,  was  in  a 
state  demanding  much  repair,  and  in  1814  it  was  re- 
solved to  undertake  the  work.  A  new  steeple  was 
erected,  and  other  improvements  were  made  ;  but  the 
funds  raised  not  being  adequate,  the  plan  for  enlarging 
the  Church  was  abandoned  till  the  next  year,  when  IT 
feet  were  added  to  the  east  end  of  the  building,  and  an 
entire  change  was  effected  in  the  internal  structure. 
These  repairs,  which  cost  upwards  of  $4000,  were 
cheerfully  paid  for,  with  few  exceptions,  in  a  short 
time,  almost  entirely  by  the  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion. A  subsequent  alteration  in  the  desk  and  pulpit, 
giving  them  their  present  position,  was  made  in  1818, 
at  very  considerable  expense.  In  the  spring  of  the 
same  year,  a  new  and  commodious  parsonage  house 
was  completed  at  an  expense  of  about  $3000.  It 
would  seem  that  it  had  been  fortunate  that  these  ex- 
pensive operations  were  closed  as  they  were  ;  for  such 
has  been  the  subsequent  state  of  things,  that  no  time 


112         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

could  have  been  found,  when,  humanly  speaking,  it 
would  have  been  practicable  to  have  done  so  much. 
The  only  material  improvement  of  the  congregation 
since,  was  the  purchase  of  an  organ  more  than  two 
years  ago,  to  which  many  of  us  have  often  been  in- 
debted for  great  enjoyment ;  may  we  not  say,  for  inte- 
resting aids  to  devotion,  and  holiness  of  heart." 

In  the  records  of  the  Yestry  May  12th  1822  it  is 
stated;  ''The  Rector  informed  the  Corporation  that 
the  legacy  of  the  late  Mrs,  Spraggs,  amounting  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  had  been  received  and  was 
deposited  in  the  Savings  Bank  of  New  York  on  the 
20th  of  April,  to  be  re-invested  every  three  months." 
May  26th  1826  the  Corporation  met  and  passed  among 
others,  the  following  resolutions, 

"  Resolved  that  the  Rector  be  authorized  to  draw 
from  the  Savings  Bank  in  the  city  of  New  York  the 
legacy  left  to  this  Church  by  Mrs  Mary  Spraggs  by 
drawing  therefor  an  order  in  favour  of  the  treasurer — 
and  that  the  treasurer  be  directed  to  deposit  the  same 
in  the  Eliz'bth  State  Bank  to  the  credit  of  the  Church. 

"  Resolved  that  the  monies  expended  by  the  Rector 
in  furnishing  the  organ  for  said  Church  be  repaid  him 
out  of  the  said  legacy  together  with  the  interest  for 
three  years  on  the  balance  that  may  be  found  due. 

"  Resolved  that  the  Resignation  of  Doctor  Rudd  as 
Rector  of  this  Church  be  accepted  to  take  effect  from 
the  first  day  of  June  next."     Dr.  R.  died  in  1848,  and 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  113 

his  remains  lie  in  St.  John's  Churchyard.'^  The  Rev. 
Smith  Pyne  (now  Rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  Wash- 
ington D.  C)  succeeded  Dr.  Rudd  in  the  Rectorship 
and  resigned  the  same  December  31st  1828.  The  cor- 
respondence which  occurred  between  Mr.  Pyne  and 
the  Yestry  is  highly  interesting,  indicating  between 
them  great  affection.  During  Mr.  Pyne's  rectorship 
the  ladies  raised  the  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  new 
vestry  room. 

The  next  Rector  of  this  Church  was  the  Rev.  B.  G. 
Noble,  who  was  elected  on  the  8th  day  of  March  1829. 
In  his  letter  of  resignation  dated  Sept.  20th  1883,  he 
alludes  to  the  great  exertions  of  the  Congregation 
during  his  ministry,  to  the  liquidation  of  all  the  debts 
of  the  corporation  ;  the  large  sums  expended  upon  the 
Church  and  parsonage  and  glebe,  the  present  iourish- 
ing  state  of  all  the  temporalities  of  the  Church ;  the 
uniform  punctuality  with  which  they  have  fulfilled  their 
pecuniary  engagements,"  and  "the  large  disposable 
fund  secured  by  the  zealous  efforts  of  the  Ladies  As- 
sociation." 

*  A  mural  tablet  has  been  erected  in  the  Church  to  his 
memory  ui^on  which  is  inscribed, 

Sacred 

To  the  Memory  of 

the  Rev.  Johx  CHrRCiiiLL  Rudd  D.  D 

who  was  21  years  Rector  of  this  Church, 

Died  Nov'r  15th  1848  ; 

Aged  68  years. 

15* 


174         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

The  Reverend  Kichard  Channing  Moore  Jr.  was 
elected  Rector  in  1834  and  entered  upon  his  duties  on 
the  16th  of  February.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Congre- 
gation holden  on  the  20th  of  April  1840  it  was, 
"  Resolved,  That  the  Rector,  William  Chetwood,  J. 
J.  Chetwood,  F.  B.  Chetwood,  Anthony  Morss,  Charles 
King  and  Nathaniel  Leavenworth  be  a  Committee  to 
examine  into  the  expediency  of  building  a  new  church 
or  enlarging  the  present  building,  to  procure  plans  for 
the  proposed  improvements  and  estimates  of  the  cost, 
and  also  to  devise  the  best  method  of  accomplishing 
the  object  and  that  they  report  within  ten  days  here- 
after to  the  Congregation." 

In  accordance  with  the  above  on  the  11th  of  May 
"  J.  J.  Chetwood  Esq.  from  the  Committee  made  a 
verbal  report,  recommending  the  enlarging  of  the 
present  building,  by  taking  down  the  present  side 
walls  of  the  Church,  and  extending  the  width  ten  feet 
on  each  side. 

F.  B.  Chetwood  Esq.  from  same  Committee  reported 
the  specifications  of  the  builders  and  estimate  of  costs, 
and  that  the  Messrs.  Thompson  proposed  to  furnish 
the  materials  and  complete  the  work  agreeable  to  the 
said  specifications,  for  the  sum  of  Thirty-five  hundred 
dollars,  of  which  sum  they  proposed  to  take  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  pews  of  the  Church. 
Drafts  of  the  plan  were  laid  before  the  meeting. 

Whereupon  the  following  resolutions  were  offered 
and  passed  unanimously. 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  HS 

Resolved  That  it  is  expedient  to  enlarge  the  present 
Church  edifice  according  to  the  plan  recommended  by 
the  Committee  and  that  the  same  shall  be  done  without 
delay. 

Resolved,  That  the  proceedings  of  this  meeting  be 
laid  before  the  Wardens  and  Yestry  of  the  Church, 
and  that  it  be  recommended  to  them  as  the  earnest 
desire  of  this  Congregation,  that  they  should  take 
immediate  steps  to  carry  into  effect  the  contemplated 
improvement." 

The  Yestry  met  the  same  evening  and  cordially  ap- 
proving of  the  plan  recommended  of  enlarging  the 
Church,  resolved  to  proceed  without  delay  to  accom- 
plish the  object.  They  also  "Resolved  that  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  constitute  a  Committee  for  the  pur- 
pose of  carrying  into  effect  the  foregoing  resolution  of 
the  Yestry.  Thomas  Salter,  Charles  King,  William 
Chetwood,  Isaac  H.  Williamson,  Anthony  Morss, 
Nathaniel  Leavenworth,  Elias  Darby,  Capt.  Wm.  Sal- 
ter, Elihu  Mitchell,  Henry  Geiger,  M.  W.  Richards, 
Dr.  G.  R.  Chetwood,  J.  J.  Chetwood,  F.  B.  Chet- 
wood, Benjamin  Williamson,  B.  R.  Seaman,  Isaac  H. 
Williamson  Jr.,  Henry  Kiggins,  Moses  Hetfield,  M. 
0.  Dayton,  Maj.  Woodruff,  Capt.  DeHart,  John 
Schweitzer,  Orlando  Chandler,  James  Moore,  Geu'l 
Scott,  Capt.  Anderson,  Lieut.  Pegram,  David  Clum, 
Capt.  Casey,  Smith  Scudder,  Isaac  W.  Scudder,  John 
Chetwood,  Mr.  Orton,  Ogden  Brown,  John  Kean. 

A.  Morss,  F.  B.  Chetwood,  J.  J.  Chetwood,  and 


It 6         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

B.  Williamson  were  appointed  a  Committee  to  procure 
from  the  pew  holders,  a  relinquishment  of  their  claims 
to  their  respective  pews." 

In  his  parochial  report  for  1840  the  Kev.  Mr. 
Moore  says.  "  The  plan  for  enlarging  the  Church 
which  was  talked  of  a  year  since,  is  now  adopted.  On 
Easter  Monday,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  take 
the  subject  into  consideration,  which  has  resulted  in  a 
determination  on  the  part  of  the  congregation  and 
Yestry  to  make  an  addition  to  the  width  of  the  build- 
ing, of  8  feet,  on  each  side,  which  will  give  us  a 
Church  45  feet  front  by  66  feet  deep.  The  whole 
interior  of  the  building  is  to  be  entirely  new  and 
handsomely  finished,  and  will  be  completed  by  con- 
tract, the  1st  of  December  next.  It  is  due  to  the 
congregation  to  mention,  that  they  have  entered  most 
cheerfully  and  unitedly  upon  the  enterprise,  and  have 
come  forward  with  commendable  liberality  to  carry  it 
on.  It  is  also  due  to  the  two  Presbyterian  congrega- 
tions to  state  that  they  have  kindly  offered  us  the  use 
of  their  respective  lecture  rooms,  during  the  time  that 
we  shall  be  out  of  the  Church." 

The  next  year,  1841,  Mr.  Moore  reports,  and  the 
facts  show  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  and 
how  greatly  the  church  had  increased  under  his  minis- 
try, that,  in  addition  to  the  offerings  ;  'Hhere  has  been 
raised  in  the  Congregation  and  by  members  of  it 
during  the  past  year  about  the  sum  of  $4000  for  the 
purpose  of  enlarging  the  Church  and  building  a  Sun- 


HIwSTORY  OF  ST.  JOIIN's  CHURCH.  Ht 

day  school  room.  Both  of  these  objects  have  been 
happily  completed,  and  through  the  favor  of  Provi- 
dence we  were  permitted  on  the  31st  of  December 
last,  to  return  again  to  the  Church,  which  we  had  left 
on  the  first  of  June  previously.  At  this  time,  the 
building  enlarged  and  beautified  into  a  new  church, 
though  standing  in  part  under  the  roof  and  upon  the 
ground  of  the  former  edifice  was  consecrated  by  the 
Bishop  of  the  diocese,  this  office  having  never  before 
been  performed.  The  improvement  has  operated  very 
favorably  upon  the  Congregation,  and  we  have  at 
present  every  prospect  of  having  soon  the  additional 
seats  occupied.  It  is  due  to  the  zeal  of  the  ladies  of 
the  Congregation  to  mention  the  liberal  pledge  given 
by  them,  to  raise  for  this  purpose  $500,  which  they 
have  already  redeemed.  To  their  perseverance  alone, 
we  are  also  indebted  for  a  very  fine  Sunday  school 
room,  built  of  brick  and  finished  in  handsome  style  at 
an  expense  of  $1200.  To  the  same  source  are  we 
indebted  for  the  very  extensive  enlargement  of  our 
church  organ,  at  a  cost  of  $260,  and  for  furnishing  the 
Church  with  hangings  for  the  pulpit,  together  with 
other  furniture  of  the  desk  and  chancel,  and  for  a 
handsome  set  of  lights,  at  an  aggregate  expense  of 
more  than  $300.  Thus  the  ladies  of  St.  John's 
Church  have  undertaken  a  pecuniary  responsibility  in 
this  movement  of  more  than  $2000,  the  great  propor- 
tion of  which  they  have  already  paid,  and  the  balance, 
we  have  reason  to  believe  will  be  raised  in  time  to 


nS         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

meet  the  terms  of  the  payment.  It  gives  the  Rector 
great  satisfaction  to  state,  that  entire  unanimity  has 
prevailed  in  the  whole  transaction,  and  that  all  appear 
greatly  pleased  that  the  improvement  has  been  made, 
though  the  burden  of  it  has  not  been  light." 

In  the  year  1846  services  were  held  at  Elizabeth 
port,  and  a  congregation  was  formed,  composed  of 
some  of  the  members  of  St.  John's  Church.  On  the 
18th  of  September  1849  the  corner  stone  of  Grace 
Church  was  laid,  and  in  1850  Mr.  Moore  reports;  ''  It 
is  with  unfeigned  satisfaction  I  report  the  successful 
result  of  the  missionary  effort  at  Elizabeth  Port,  in  the 
building  of  a  most  beautiful  church ;  and  it  gives  me 
pleasure  to  record  the  liberality  of  my  own  Congrega- 
tion in  contributing  about  $600  towards  that  object." 

In  the  year  1853  it  being  thought  by  some  that  the 
time  had  come  for  the  establishment  of  another  Epis- 
copal parish  in  Elizabeth  Town,  a  new  congregation 
was  formed,  principally  by  members  of  St.  John's 
Church,  under  the  name  of  Christ  Church.  A  hand- 
some stone  (gothic)  Chapel  and  Kectory  have  been 
erected,  and  a  building  for  the  parochial  schools. 
Over  thirty  thousand  dollars  have  been  expended,  in- 
cluding the  cost  of  the  land. 

The  Rev.  E.  A.  Hoffman,  the  zealous  Rector  of  the 
Church  in  his  first  annual  address  delivered  on  Easter 
Monday  1854,  says;  "I  desire  to-day  to  trace  in  a 
few  brief  words  the  history  of  the  parish,  for  the  year 
which  has  just  so  happily  ended ;  that  we  may  thank 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOIIN'S  CHURCH.  179 

Him  to  Whom  the  praise  of  this  success  is  justly  due, 
and  thence  take  courage  for  the  future. 

The  parish  was  duly  organized  in  the  Sunday  School 
Room  of  St.  John's  Church,  on  the  evening  of  Easter 
Day,  1853,  by  the  election  of  two  Wardens  and  seven 
"Vestrymen.  The  first  service  was  held  on  the  second 
Sunday  after  Easter,  10th  April,  by  your  present  Rec- 
tor elect,  in  the  Lecture  Room  of  the  first  Presbyterian 
congregation,  which  was  generously  offered  for  our  use 
by  the  Pastor  and  the  Session  :  and  I  cannot  in  this 
place  refrain  from  acknowledging  the  courtesy  which 
has  since  left  it  at  our  disposal,  through  a  period  much 
longer  than  either  they  or  we  probably  at  first  sup- 
posed we  should  need  it. 

On  the  23d  of  April,  at  a  public  meeting  held  in 
the  same  place,  of  which  the  ten  days  legal  notice  had 
been  given,  the  parish  was  duly  incorporated  under  the 
name  of  "The  Rector,  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of 
Christ  Church,  in  Elizabeth  Town."  The  Wardens 
and  Vestrymen,  previously  chosen  at  the  orgauization, 
were  re-elected ;  and  Monday  in  Easter  Week  desig- 
nated as  the  day  for  the  annual  election  of  the  ofiicers 
of  the  parish. 

Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  in  the  choice 
and  purchase  of  a  lot  for  building,  of  suitable  size  and 
sufficiently  central  in  position.  On  the  4th  of  July,  a 
favorable  purchase  was  made,  for  the  sum  of  $4500, 
from  M.  M.  Williams,  of  a  lot  on  the  corner  of  Jersey 
and  Bridge  streets,  extending  234  feet  on  the  former. 


180         THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  AMERICAN  COLONIES. 

and  155  feet  on  the  latter  street.  The  services  of  Mr. 
Upjohn,  Architect,  were  obtained,  and  plans  compris- 
ing a  Church,  capable  of  seating  between  500  and  GOO 
persons,  a  Chapel  or  School-house,  which  might  be 
used  for  some  time  as  a  Church,  and  afterwards  for 
various  purposes  of  the  parish,  and  a  house  for  the 
Kector  of  the  Church,  were  procured. 

The  Chapel  or  School-house  was  immediately  put 
under  contract,  and  the  corner-stone  laid  with  oppro- 
priate  religious  rites,  on  the  23d  of  August,  by  the 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  in  presence  of  a  number  of  the 
clergy  and  a  large  concourse  of  people." 

The  pews  in  Christ  Chapel  are  free  and  will  seat 
about  300  persons. 

On  the  24th  of  February  1855  the  Rev.  Mr.  Moore 
resigned  the  Rectorship  of  St.  John's  Church  and  is 
now  the  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Williamsport,  Penn- 
vSylvania.  His  was  a  long  and  fruitful  ministry  here, 
during  which  the  Church  was  almost  rebuilt,  and  large 
numbers  were  added  to  the  Communion. 

The  present  Rector  of  St.  John's  entered  upon  his 
duties  on  the  first  Sunday  in  April  1856. 

The  Church  is  peaceful  and  prosperous  and  may 
ever  continue  thus  with  God's  blessing  upon  the  faith- 
ful presentation  of  the  simple,  practical,  life  giving 
truths  of  the  Gospel,  and  upon  a  people  whose  earnest 
endeavours  center  in  seeking  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
salvation  of  souls.  Many  have  been  the  changes  and 
vicissitudes   through  which   this   ancient  Church  has 


HISTORY  OF  ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH.  181 

passed,  but  out  of  all  her  trials  God  may  perfect  praise 
for  his  own  name. 

The  edifice  itself  has  undergone  so  many  alterations 
that  it  bears  little  resemblance  to  the  original  struc- 
ture, and,  as  has  appeared  in  these  researches,  every 
few  years  has  assumed  a  new  form.  It  stands  at  pre- 
sent as  enlarged  and  improved  in  the  year  1840. 
There  seems  to  be  an  increasing  necessity  for  its 
enlargement,  or  renewal,  and  the  Yestry  and  Congre- 
gation are  contemplating  making  provision  for  a  much 
larger  number  of  persons,  than  the  Church  will  now 
accommodate. 

Whatever  may  be  done,  or  left  undone,  may  Christ 
crucified  be  the  theme  upon  which  the  ministers  of  old 
St.  John's  most  delight  to  dwell,  and  the  image  of 
Jesus  be  formed  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  worship  within 
its  w^alls. 


Note. — Within  a  few  weeks  a  Parisli  Library  has  been 
formed,  to  which  a  former  member  of  the  congregation  gene- 
rously contributed  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars. 


16 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


A. 


Copy  of  the  Deed  of  the  Parsonage  and  lot,  helonging 
to  St.  John's  Church,  Elizabeth  Town. 

This  Indenture  made  the  Eleventh  Day  of  Decem- 
ber, in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  forty-nine,  Between  John  Emmott  of  Eliza- 
beth Town  in  the  County  of  Essex,  in  the  Province  of 
New  Jersey  and  Mary  his  wife  on  the  one  part  and 
John  Halsted,  Henry  Garthwait,  William  Kicketts, 
Jacob  DeHart,  Peter  Trombly,  Matthias  DeHart, 
Jonathan  Hampton  and  Matthias  Williamson,  all  of 
the  same  Place  on  the  other  Part,  Witnesseth  That 
the  said  John  Emmott  by  and  with  the  Consent  of 
Mary  his  wife  signified  by  her  being  made  a  Party  to 
these  Presents  and  sealing  and  executing  the  same  for 
and  in  Consideration  of  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty-two  pounds  New  Jersey  money,  at  Eight  shil- 
lings the  Ounce  to  him  the  said  John  Emmott  in  hand 

16* 


186  APPENDIX. 

paid  by  the  said  John  Halsted,  Henry  Garthwait, 
William  Kicketts,  Jacob  DeHart,  Peter  Trombly, 
Matthias  DeHart,  Jonathan  Hampton,  and  Matthias 
Williamson  at  and  before  the  ensealing  and  Delivery 
of  these  Presents,  the  receipt  whereof  he  the  said 
John  Emmott  Doth  hereby  acknowledge  and  thereof 
and  therefrom,  and  of  and  from  every  Part  and  Parcel 
and  thereof  Doth  hereby  acquit  release  exonirate  and 
discharge  them  the  said  John  Halsted,  [here  follow  the 
names']  and  Each  and  every  of  them,  their  and  each  of 
their  heirs  Executors  Administrators  and  Assigns  by 
these  presents  Hath  granted,  bargained  sold  aliened 
and  released  and  confirmed  and  by  these  presents  doth 
grant  bargain  sell  alien  release  and  confirm  unto  the 
said  John  Halsted  \_here  follow  the  7iames]  and  to 
their  heirs  and  assigns  forever  All  that  house  and  lott 
of  Ground  situate,  lying  and  being  in  Elizabeth  Town 
aforesaid  on  the  South  side  of  the  said  Elizabeth 
Town  Creek  opposite  to  a  Large  white  house  now  or 
late  belonging  to  Mr.  Peter  Schuyler  Beginning  at  a 
Stake  planted  on  the  said  Creek  thence  running  South 
South  East  a  quarter  of  a  point  Southerly  two  Rod  to 
another  Stake  thence  West  three  Quarters  of  a  point 
Northerly  six  Kods  and  a  half  to  another  Stake  thence 
South  South  West  a  Quarter  of  a  point  Westerly  nine 
Rod  six  feet  nine  Inches  and  a  half  to  another  Stake, 
thence  along  a  Street  or  highway  forty  Roods  twelve 
feet  nine  Inches  and  a  half  as  the  Street  runs  to 
another  street  or  highway  which  leads  down  to  the 


APPENDIX.  18 t 

said  Creek  between  the  said  Lot  of  land  and  the  land 
now  or  late  of  John  Hinds  thence  by  the  last  men- 
tioned Street  or  highway  North  and  by  West  Eight 
Roods  to  said  Elizabeth  Town  Creek  or  River  and 
thence  as  the  said  Creek  or  River  runs  to  the  first 
mentioned  Stake  Containing  by  affirmation  three  acres 
to  the  same  more  or  less  Bounded  on  the  East  by  the 
Land  now  or  late  of  Samuel  Whitehead  on  the  South 
and  West  by  two  Streets  or  highways  on  the  North  by 
the  aforesaid  Creek  or  River  Together  will  all  and 
singular  the  houses  Edefices  and  buildings  thereon 
and  all  Rights  and  Hereditaments  and  Appurtenances 
to  the  said  Premises  belonging  or  in  any  wise  apper- 
taining and  the  Reversion  and  Reversions,  Remainder 
and  Remainders  thereof  and  also  all  the  Estate  Right 
Title  Interest  Property  Possession  Claim  and  demand 
whatsoever  of  him  the  John  Emmott  of  in  and  to 
the  same  and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof,  To  have 
and  to  hold  the  said  house  and  Lot  of  ground  and 
premises  with  their  and  every  of  their  Rights  members 
and  appurtenances  unto  the  said  John  Halsted  &c. — 
their  heirs  and  assigns  to  the  only  proper  use  benefit 
and  behoof  of  the  said  John  Halsted  &c.  their  heirs 
and  assigns  forever  and  the  said  John  Emmott  and  his 
heirs  all  and  singular  the  said  house  and  lot  of  ground 
and  premises  with  their  and  every  of  their  Rights 
members  and  appurtenances  hereby  granted  and  re- 
leased and  every  part  and  parcel  thereof  unto  them  the 
said  John  Halsted  &c.  their  heirs  and  assigns  against 


188  APPENDIX. 

him  the  said  John  Emmott  and  his  heirs  and  assigns 
and  against  all  and  every  other  Person  or  Persons 
whatsoever  shall  and  will  warrant  forever  and  defined 
by  these  Presents.  And  the  said  John  Emmott  for 
himself,  his  heirs  Executors  and  Administrators  and 
each  and  every  of  them  doth  hereby  covenant  grant 
and  agree  to  and  with  the  said  John  Halsted  &c. 
their  and  assigns  in  manner  and  form  following  That 
is  to  say  they  the  said  John  Halsted  &c.  their  heirs 
and  assigns  and  every  of  them  shall  and  may  from  time 
to  time  and  at  all  times  for  ever  hereafter  peaceably 
and  quietly  have  hold  occupy  possess  and  enjoy  all  and 
singular  the  premises  herein  before  mentioned  or  in- 
tended to  be  hereby  released  and  were  parts  and 
parcels  thereof  with  their  and  every  of  their  Appurte- 
nances without  any  lawful  let  just  trouble  denial  evic- 
tion ejection  or  Interruption  whatsoever  of  or  by  them 
or  their  or  either  of  their  heirs  or  Assigns  or  of  or  by 
any  other  Person  or  Persons  and  that  free  and  clear 
and  fully  and  clearly  acquited  exonerated  and  Dis- 
charged of  and  from  all  and  all  manner  of  former  and 
other  bargains  Sales  Gifts  grants  feoffments  devises 
Dowers  Rights  and  Title  of  Dower  issues  uses  fines 
annuities — Debts  Duties  Judgements  Executions  Re- 
cognizances and  all  other  Estates  Rights  Titles  troubles 
Charges  and  Incumbrances  whatsoever  had  made  com- 
mitted done  or  suffered  or  to  be  had  made  Committed 
done  or  suffered  in  any  wise  whatsoever  by  them  the 
said  John  Emmott  and  Mary  his  wife  or  either  of  them 


APPENDIX.  189 

or  by  any  other  Person  or  Persons  whatsoever  having 
or  lawfully  claiming  any  Estate  Right  Title  or  Interest 
of  in  and  to  the  same  or  any  Part  or  Parcel  thereof. 
In  Witness  whereof  the  Parties  to  these  Presents  have 
interchangeably  set  their  hands  and  seals  the  Day  and 
year  first  above  written. 

MARY  [L.  s.]  EMMOTT.     JNO.  [l.  s.]  EMMOTT. 

Sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of  Sarah  Jelfe, 
Thomas  Bradbury  Chandler,  David  Oliver. 

Keceived  of  the  within  mentioned  Grantees  the 
within  mentioned  sum  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two 
pounds  in  full  for  the  consideration  within  mentioned 
the  day  and  year  within  contained — 162. 

Witness  JNO.  EMMOTT. 

For  the  form  of  conveyance  of  the  above  named 
property  to  the  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and  Yestry- 
men  of  St.  John's  Church  on  the  18th  of  February 
1765,  see    Chapter  Y. 


190  APPENDIX. 


B. 


In  a  note  accompanying  the  Memoir  of  the  life  of 
Bishop  Hobart,  (who  married  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
Chandler  May  6th  1800)  by  the  Rev.  William  Berrian 
D.  D.  Kector  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  facts  are  stated,  pp.  11-5. 

"He"  Dr.  Chandler  ''was  born  at  Woodstock, 
Massachusetts,  on  the  26th  of  April,  1126,  and  was 
educated  at  Yale  College,  New  Haven.  In  lt51,  he 
went  to  England  for  holy  orders,  and,  as  his  family 
think,  received  them  from  the  Bishop  of  London.  On 
his  return  he  was  made  Kector  of  St.  John's  Church, 
Elizabeth  Town,  New-Jersey.  In  that  humble  and 
quiet  retreat  he  was  enabled  to  indulge  his  passionate 
fondness  for  study,  and  to  make  such  large  acquisi- 
tions both  to  his  professional  and  general  knowledge, 
as  to  give  him  a  very  high  rank  among  his  classical 
brethren.  A  question  of  deep  interest  to  the  Episco- 
pal church  in  America  had  been  much  discussed  among 
her  friends,  and  it  was  at  length  thought  expedient 
that  it  should  be  presented  to  the  consideration  of  the 
civil  and  ecclesiastical  authorities  in  England.  The 
want  of  Bishops  in  the  colonies  was  found,  on  many 
accounts,  to  be  a  serious  evil.     The  rite  of  confirma- 


APPENDIX.  191 

tion,  established  by  primitive  usage  and  regarded  as  a 
matter  of  Christian  duty,  could  never  be  administered. 
The  Clergy,  independent  of  each  other,  had  no  eccle- 
siastical superiors  to  unite  or  control  them.  Discip- 
line could  not  be  exercised  without  so  many  diflBculties 
as  would  often  afford  an  opportunity  to  the  unworthy 
to  escape  from  the  punishment  which  they  deserved. 
The  expense  and  dangers  of  a  voyage  to  England,  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  orders,  deterred  many  from 
entering  into  the  ministry,  who  would  have  adorned 
it ;  and  the  impossibility  that  a  Bishop,  residing  at 
that  distance,  should  procure  accurate  information,  in 
all  cases,  of  the  characters  of  the  candidates  for 
orders,  was  the  cause  of  many  being  admitted  into  it, 
by  whom  the  Church  was  dishonored.  All  these 
things  tended  to  alienate  from  her  the  affections  of  her 
members,  and  to  retard  her  growth. 

At  the  request,  therefore,  of  his  brethren  Dr.  Chan- 
dler wrote  a  work  on  the  subject  of  American  Episco- 
pacy, in  which  he  showed,  with  great  force  and  reason- 
ing the  expediency  and  advantage  of  having  Bishops 
consecrated  for  the  colonies.  From  his  decided  at- 
tachment to  the  Church  and  State,  and  from  his  strong 
desire  to  promote  the  welfare  of  both,  he  treated  the 
subject  with  that  judgment  and  temper  which  entitled 
it  to  consideration  at  home  but  which,  it  appears, 
however,  from  the  neglect  of  his  counsel,  it  did  not 
receive.  He  also  wrote  another  interesting  work,  the 
Life  of  Dr.  Johnson,  first  President  of  King's  College, 


192  APPENDIX. 

New-York,  which,  though  merely  intended  as  a  bio- 
graphical sketch,  is,  nevertheless,  a  history  of  the 
early  state  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Connecticut 
and  of  the  difficulties  which  she  encountered,  from 
prejudice  and  ignorance,  in  her  establishment  and  pro- 
gress. 

The  salary  of  Dr.  Chandler  as  a  Missionary  of  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  was  £50 
sterling  a  year,  on  which  with  some  slight  contribu- 
tions from  the  congregation,  a  parsonage,  and  small 
glebe,  he  lived  with  such  a  degree  of  ease  and  comfort, 
and  with  such  a  free  and  unlimited  hospitality  as  are 
remembered  by  many  who  are  still  living,  both  with 
wonder  and  pleasure.  I  have  scarcely  ever  met  with 
any  aged  person  belonging  to  our  Church  who  had 
visited  Elizabeth  Town,  that  did  not  delight  in  recall- 
ing the  many  happy  hours  which  he  had  spent  in  that 
agreeable  family,  and  at  that  hospitable  board.  Ex- 
tensively as  Dr.  Chandler  was  known  and  respected  by 
strangers,  he  was  still  more  beloved  by  his  parishioners 
and  friends.  Cheerful  in  his  temper,  easy  and  accessi- 
ble in  his  intercourse  with  others — fond  of  study,  of 
retirement  and  all  rural  pursuits,  but  yet  of  blending 
and  sweetening  them  with  social  enjoyment,  remaining 
much  at  home,  and,  from  an  aversion  to  preaching 
elsewhere,  never  out  of  his  own  pulpit,  it  was  natural 
that  his  affability,  his  kindness,  his  constant  presence 
and  unintermitted  labours  should  greatly  endear  him 
to  his  people.     He  was  exceedingly  intimate  with  the 


APPENDIX.  193 

Rev.  Mr.  Learning  and  with  Dr.  Wilkins,  who  was  then 
a  lawyer,  but  who,  at  a  later  period  of  life,  entered  into 
the  Church,  and  with  Dr.  Seabury,  who  was  afterwards 
Bishop  of  Connecticut.  When  the  storm  of  the  revo- 
lution was  gathering  and  so  many  important  interests 
were  at  stake,  they  frequently  met  at  each  other's 
houses,  and  in  the  discussion  of  the  agitating  questions 
of  the  times,  and  in  intellectual  and  social  enjoyment, 
made  dearer  to  them  by  their  union  of  sentiments,  and 
the  uncertainty  how  long  it  might  be  continued,  they 
never  knew  when  to  part.  I  have  heard  it  stated,  that 
they  generally  sat  up  till  a  very  late  hour  at  night,  and 
that  the  day  has  often  dawned  upon  their  conversa- 
tions. Mr.  Wilkins  who  was  a  man  of  ardent  tempe- 
rament and  masculine  mind  and  Dr.  Chandler,  who 
held  a  ready  and  vigorous  pen,  warmly  espoused  the 
loyal  cause.  They  wrote  a  number  of  political  pieces 
and  circulated  them  with  great  activity  and  diligence 
in  the  hopes  of  checking  the  progress  of  what  they 
conscientiously  believed  a  rash  rebellion  and  a  crying 
sin.  The  current,  however,  soon  set  so  strongly 
against  them,  that  they  were  compelled  to  yield  to  it ; 
and  political  excitement  was  so  violent,  that  they  were 
under  the  necessity  of  leaving  the  country.  Mr.  Wil- 
kins went  to  Nova-Scotia  and  Dr.  Chandler  to  Eng- 
land. The  loyalty,  fidelity,  and  zeal  of  the  latter  were 
there  held  in  high  estimation  by  government ;  and  his 
attachment  to  the  Church,  his  reputation  as  a  scholar, 
and  his  attainments  as  a  divine,  procured  for  him  the 
17 


194  APPENDIX. 

most  gratifying  attentions  from  the  Clergy.  From  a 
brief  diary,  which  he  kept,  it  appears  that  he  was 
often  consulted  by  those  in  authority  on  questions  of 
the  greatest  importance  in  relation  to  the  colonies. 
He  was  received  with  such  a  marked  and  universal 
respect  into  the  society  of  the  most  distinguished  per- 
sons as  has  very  rarely  been  rendered  to  any  one  from 
our  country  in  private  life.  It  is  a  mark  both  of  his 
literary  reputation  in  England,  and  of  the  degree  of 
influence  which  he  was  supposed  to  have  with  persons 
in  power  that  he  drew  up  a  petition  to  the  queen  in 
favor  of  Dr.  Dodd,  at  the  request  of  his  friends ;  but 
considerations  of  public  policy  overpowering  all  pri- 
vate feelings,  this  petition  like  every  other,  proved 
unavailing,  and  answered  no  other  purpose  but  that  of 
a  new  and  soothing  expression  of  sympathy  and  com- 
miseration for  his  unhappy  fate. 

During  the  ten  years  which  he  passed  in  London,  he 
received  in  addition  to  his  salary  from  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel,  an  annual  allowance 
from  government  of  £200  sterling.  He  was  made  a 
Doctor  of  Divinity  at  the  University  of  Oxford.  He 
was  appointed  to  the  Bishoprick  of  Nova- Scotia,  an 
office  which  he  was  compelled  to  decline  from  the  j^ro- 
gress  of  a  cancerous  affection  in  his  face ;  and  upon 
his  death  a  pension  was  allowed  to  his  widow  until  the 
day  of  her  own. 

When  Dr.  Chandler  wq'ote  to  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  take 


APPENDIX.  195 

charge  of  the  diocese  of  Xova- Scotia  he  received  from 
him  a  very  kind  and  courteous  reply,  expressing  his 
respect  for  his  character,  and  his  regret  for  his  afflic- 
tion, and  begging  him  to  point  out  some  suitable  per- 
son who  might  be  appointed  in  his  place.  Upon  his 
recommendation  the  Bishoprick  was  conferred  on  Dr. 
Inglis,  who,  previous  to  the  peace,  had  been  Rector  of 
Trinity  Church,  in  New  York. 

While  there  were  so  many  things  to  gratify  him  in 
his  protracted  absence  from  his  family,  it  was  also  a 
delightful  circumstance  to  him,  that,  amidst  all  the 
troubles  and  distresses  of  the  times,  they  met  with 
nothing  but  favor  and  kindness  at  home.  He  was 
enabled  to  spare  enough  from  his  income  for  their 
comfortable  support.  His  people  retaining  a  grateful 
recollection  of  his  services,  and  an  undiminished  respect 
for  his  character,  notwithstanding  the  difference  of  his 
political  course,  exerted  their  influence  to  protect  them 
from  the  depredations  and  violence  of  the  revolutionary 
army,  when  any  part  of  it  happened  to  be  quartered  in 
the  town ;  and  the  British  soldiers  treated  them  with 
the  courtesy  and  respect  which  were  due  to  friends. 
In  the  fluctuations,  therefore,  of  success  between  the 
contending  parties,  the  parsonage  was  often  made  a 
place  of  common  refuge.  Dr.  Chandler  returned  to 
Elizabeth  Town  in  1786,  but  the  cancer  in  his  face 
continuing  to  increase,  he  was  never  able  to  resume  his 
pastoral  duties,  and  finally  died  of  it  in  1790. 

The  different  pamphlets  and  fugitive  pieces  which 


196  APPENDIX. 

were  written  by  him  in  tbis  country  before  the  revolu- 
tion and  during  his  residence  in  England — the  innu- 
merable letters  which  he  received  from  eminent  persons 
abroad  and  from  his  friends  a,t  home,  and  those  which 
he  himself  sent  to  his  family — would  have  formed  a 
valuable  collection  of  papers  for  the  illustration  of  our 
civil  and  ecclesiastical  history,  and  furnished  ample 
materials  for  an  interesting  account  of  his  own  life. 
But  some  time  after  his  death,  when  the  fierce  passions, 
excited  by  civil  broils,  had  in  a  great  measure  died 
away;  when  those  who  had  been  separated  in  unhappy 
times  by  difi"erent  views  of  duty,  once  more  met  as 
brethren  and  friends,  and  when  no  reasonable  danger 
could  have  been  apprehended  from  retaining  these 
papers  in  the  possession  of  the  family — they  were 
alarmed  by  the  timid  and  ill-timed  advice  of  a  person 
whom  they  respected  and  loved  and  the  whole  collec- 
tion with  some  few  exceptions  was  entirely  destroyed. 
Thus  the  fullest  memorial  that  will  ever  be  given  of 
one  of  whom  so  much  might  have  been  said,  will,  per- 
haps, be  found  in  this  brief  and  imperfect  sketch." 

In  "The  Early  life  and  Professional  years  of 
Bishop  Hobart,  by  John  McYicar,  D.  D.  Professor 
of  Moral  and  Intellectual  Philosophy  and  Political 
Economy  in  Columbia  College  New  York"  published 
at  Oxford  by  D.  A.  Talboys  and  113  Fleet  Street 
London  1838,  there  is  an  ''Extract  from  the  Life  of 
the  Rev.  Hugh  Peters,  Chaplain  to  Oliver  Cromwell, 
London  1815,"  which  is  as  follows  (McYicar's  life  of 


APPENDIX.  191 

Bp.  Hobart  p.  Ii4)  ''The  second  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam (a  brother  of  Hugh)  married  Col.  John  Chandler, 
of  Andover,  one  of  whose  descendants  was  the  Kev. 
Thomas  Bradbury  Chandler  D.  D.  Kector  of  an  Epis- 
copal Church  in  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  a  pious 
and  literary  character  of  the  first  rate  in  America. 
The  Doctor  left  several  daughters,  one  of  whom  is  the 
wife  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hobart,  an  Episcopal  Clergyman 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  who  is  an  author  and 
preacher  of  high  fame.  He  is  a  descendant  from  the 
younger  brother  of  the  Earl  of  Buckinghamshire  in 
England." 


n* 


198  APPENDIX. 


C. 


The  following  pleasant  letter  to  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Beach  at  New  Brunswick  will  be  read  with  great  in- 
terest, and  with  regret  that  more  of  Dr.  C.'s  papers 
have  not  been  preserved.  -It  has  been  stated  that 
there  were  many  relating  to  him  destroyed  by  those 
who  were  more  timid  than  wise. 

"My  dear  Sir 

The  only  reason  why  I  have  denied  myself  the 
pleasure  of  once  in  a  while  writing  to  you,  was  an 
apprehension  that  you  might  be  brought  into  trouble, 
should  it  be  known  or  suspected  that  you  held  any 
correspondence  with  such  an  outcast  as  I  am.  The 
same  reason  would  still  restrain  my  pen ;  but  my 
daughter  Polly  assures  me  that  you  would  be  glad  to 
hear  directly  from  me,  on  a  certain  point  with  regard 
to  which  you  formerly  consulted  me ;  if  therefore  I  do 
wrong  in  thus  writing,  you  must  flog  Polly. 

I  need  not  tell  you  how  much  I  approve  of  your 
conduct  in  shutting  up  yoftr  Church,  as  soon  as  you 
was  not  suffered  to  make  use  of  the  Liturgy  in  its  full 
dimensions.  Your  backwardness  to  open  it,  when 
urged  by  your  people,  and  pressed  by  other  cogent 


APPENDIX.  199 

reasons,  untill  you  knew  the  mind  of  the  Society  &c., 
is  equally  commendable.  The  state  of  your  case  and 
that  of  the  Connecticut  Clergy,  I  presented  to  the 
Society  and  to  the  Bishop  of  London.  Though  they 
did  not  choose  to  give  a  formal  answer  in  this  kind  of 
casuistry,  yet  they  authorized  me  to  assure  all  parties 
concerned  that,  under  the  present  situation  of  affairs, 
the  use  of  the  Liturgy,  with  omitting  the  prayers  for 
the  King,  provided  others  for  the  Congress  were  not 
substituted  in  their  place,  would  not  meet  with  their 
censure  or  disapprobation.  Of  this  I  desired  Mr. 
Cooke  to  inform  you,  as  he  tells  me  he  did ;  but  as 
you  seem  to  be  desirous  of  having  it  immediately  from 
me,  I  now  give  it  to  you  under  my  own  hand  and  seal. 

The  Canons  of  the  Church  must  for  the  present, 
give  way  to  the  Cannon  of  Congress  ;  and  strict  regu- 
larity of  conduct  is  the  business  of  regular  times.  In 
the  meanwhile,  an  honest  man  will  not  give  up  his 
principles  ;  and  while  he  is  not  able  to  fulfill  the  letter 
of  the  hiw,  he  will  be  careful  not  to  counteract  the 
spirit  of  it. 

Having  ventured  to  put  pen  to  paper,  I  must  not 
omit  the  opportunity  of  most  cordially  thanking  you 
for  your  kind  and  never  failing  attention  to  my  forlorn 
family.  Of  this  I  have  most  pleasing  accounts  from 
time  to  time ;  and  I  wish  I  were  able  to  express,  or 
otherwise  to  convince  you,  how  much  I  feel  myself 
obliged  to  you  and  Mrs.  Beach  for  such  exuberant 
goodness. 


200  APPENDIX. 

The  late  blow  in  Yirginia  has  given  us  a  shock,  but 
has  not  overset  us.  Though  the  clouds  at  present  are 
rather  thick  about  us,  I  am  far,  very  far,  from  de- 
sponding. I  think  matters  will  take  a  right  turn  and 
then  the  event  will  be  right.  The  English  and  Dutch, 
as  I  have  it  from  unquestionable  information,  have 
actually  and  formally  consented  to  accept  of  the  me- 
diation of  Russia,  towards  an  accomodation,  which 
will  be  the  natural  consequence.  After  being  dis- 
engaged from  a  Dutch  war,  we  shall  be  able  to  bang 
the  French  and  Spaniards.  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot 
be  more  particular.  I  hate  to  write  under  such  re- 
straints. I  will  therefore  conclude,  with  my  best  com- 
pliments to  good  Mrs,  Beach,  consoling  myself  with 
the  reflection  that  I  have  brought  you  into  no  great 
jeopardy,  by  thus  stealing  an  opportunity  to  assure 
you  that  I  am,  with  the  most  cordial  esteem  and 
gratitude 

Yours  ever  afl'ectionately 

T.  B.  CHANDLER. 

London  Peer.  3d  1*781. 
Rev'd  Mr.  a.  Beach. 


APPENDIX.  201 


D. 


^pitauljs  from  same  0,f  tire  ^mbe  SU\m  in 

Here 
Lieth  interr'd  the  Body 
of  Mr.  Charles  Townley,  son 
of  Coll  Richard  Townley  Esq^ 
"Who  departed  this  life  Sep- 
tember ye  2^  Anno  Domini 
1756  In  the  70^^  Year  of  his 
Age. 
Likewise  the  Body  of 
Abigail  his  Widow  who 
deceas'd  Decem^  the  Sl^t 
A^D  1759  aged  66  Years. 

Remember  us  laid  here  in  Dust 
The  grave  shall  rot  off  all  our  Rust 
Till  ye  last  Trump  shall  rend  y®  Skies 
And  Christ  shall  say,  Ye  Dead  arise 


In  faith  she  liv'd  in  dust  she  lies 
But  faith  forsees  that  dust  shall  rise 
"When  Jesus  calls,  while  hope  assumes 
And  boasts  her  joys  among  the  tombs. 


202  APPENDIX. 

How  joyful  will  the  Christian  rise 
And  rub  the  dust  from  of  his  eyes 
My  soul  my  body  I  will  trust 
"With  him  that  numbers  every  dust 
My  Saviour  he  will  faithful  keep 
His  own  for  death  is  but  a  sleep. 


Behold  the  Place  where  we  do  lie 
As  you  be  now  so  once  was  w^e 
As  we  be  now  so  must  you  be, 
Prepare  for  death  and  follow  me. 


Jesus  to  thy  dear  faithful  hand 
My  naked  soul  I  trust 
And  my  flesh  waits  for  thy  command 
To  drop  into  my  dust 


Here  lies  beneath  this  stone  repos'd 
Patriot,  Merit,  straitly  hous'd 
His  country  call'd  he  lent  an  ear 
Their  battles  fought  and  rested  here. 


The  quivermg  lips  hang  feebly  dow^n 
His  pulse  is  faint  and  few- 
Then  speechless  with  a  pleasant  groan 
He  bids  the  world  adieu. 


Her  aching  head  and  fluttering  heart 
"With  all  their  pains  and  sorrows  part 
And  now  w^e  hope  her  soul  doth  rest 
Upon  her  dear  Redeemer's  breast. 


APPENDIX.  20! 

Here  lie  the  remains  of 

Mrs  Elizabeth  Jones 

Wife  of  John  Jones 

Schoolmaster 

Decessit  Nov^  I9  M  D  CC  LX 

Ann  -SJtatis  Suae  XXXI. 

She  all  the  qualities  possest 

That  render  matrimony  blest 

And  constantly  did  them  exert 

In  Mothers,  wifes  and  neighbours  part. 


In  memory  of 

John  De  Hart  Esquire, 

Counsellor  at  law  and  Mayor  of 

this  Borough, 

Who  departed  this  life  June  l^t  1795 

Aged  L XVI  years 

His  worth  in  private  life  was 

truly  great; 

Nor  will  his  publick  virtues 

be  forgotten : 

his  name  being  recorded  on  the  list  of 

chosen  Patriots 

who  composed  the  memorable 

Congress  of  1775. 


Princeton  Theological   Seminary   Libraries 


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